Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

 

Today is the Memorial for Our Lady of the Rosary – God bless our Holy Mother, Queen of Heaven and Earth

 

Gospel Reading: Luke 11:15-26

 

When Jesus had driven out a demon, some of the crowd said: “By the power of Beelzebul, the prince of demons, he drives out demons.” Others, to test him, asked him for a sign from heaven. But he knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste and house will fall against house. And if Satan is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that it is by Beelzebul that I drive out demons. If I, then, drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your own people drive them out? Therefore they will be your judges. But if it is by the finger of God that I drive out demons, then the Kingdom of God has come upon you. When a strong man fully armed guards his palace, his possessions are safe. But when one stronger than he attacks and overcomes him, he takes away the armor on which he relied and distributes the spoils. Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.  “When an unclean spirit goes out of someone, it roams through arid regions searching for rest but, finding none, it says, ‘I shall return to my home from which I came.’ But upon returning, it finds it swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and brings back seven other spirits more wicked than itself who move in and dwell there, and the last condition of that man is worse than the first.”

 

In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus is casting out the demons which plague the people of Israel. Some Jews thought that Jesus was somehow linked to Satan since he was able to tell the demons what to do. They thought he might be their leader since he was able to command them.  They questioned where he got his authority and power. We are well into Jesus’ mission and these Jews continue to resent Jesus and deny his miracles. They simply cannot believe that a man could do such a feat. What they fail to see is the power of God alive within Christ and more importantly, to recognize that Jesus is the Son of God. Jesus tells them: “Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste and house will fall against house.” If Satan is wiping out his own, wouldn’t his legions eventually fail? The doubters would rather attribute the power to Satan then admit that Jesus is the Son of God. Jesus tells them just the opposite, “But if it is by the finger of God that I drive out demons, then the Kingdom of God has come upon you.” Jesus is telling them that his ability to dispel demons is proof that the Kingdom of God has arrived. Jesus has come to defeat Satan and his armies by the “finger of God.”

 

Why does Jesus talk about a House divided? If the house is divided it is weakened by arguing and fighting between its own. This message is still true today. Christians are divided into many different sects. We are so focused on the differences between our beliefs instead of focusing on the similarities. Pope John Paul the Great told us to forget about the differences and focus on the commonalities between the religions, thereby we can begin to restore the one true mother church. We do not see our fellow Christians as believers in Christ, but as disbelievers. Just think if we all joined forces together how big an impact that would have on the world. The divided house among Christians is the work of Satan. The more Satan can cause us to argue, the more divided we become. The more divided we become, the weaker we become.

 

But Jesus gives us hope. In the second half of Gospel Jesus says, “When a strong man fully armed guards his palace, his possessions are safe. But when one stronger than he attacks and overcomes him, he takes away the armor on which he relied and distributes the spoils.” The Strong Man is Satan who works hard to occupy our hearts and our homes. Jesus is stronger than Satan and can overcome him. If we let God into our hearts, God will conquer Satan and cast out his spoils. But just because Satan has been cast out, he does not give up. “When an unclean spirit goes out of someone, it roams through arid regions searching for rest but, finding none, it says, ‘I shall return to my home from which I came.’” Satan will return, over and over again continually trying to conquer our souls. Jesus warns us that “But upon returning, it finds it swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and brings back seven other spirits more wicked than itself who move in and dwell there, and the last condition of that man is worse than the first.” We must continually guard against the power of Satan. We must continually clean our house and be ever vigilant against his tricks and evil ways.

 

A Simple Prayer

 

Lord Jesus, cast out the demons which plague my life.

Dispel from me those spirits which keep me from the Kingdom of God.

Purify my house so that it stands united.

 

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon