Reading 1
Gal 3:7-14
Brothers and sisters:
Realize that it is those who have faith
who are children of Abraham.
Scripture, which saw in advance that God
would justify the Gentiles by faith,
foretold the good news to Abraham, saying,
Through you shall all the nations be blessed.
Consequently, those who have faith are blessed
along with Abraham who had faith.
For all who depend on works of the law are under a curse;
for it is written, Cursed be everyone
who does not persevere in doing all the things
written in the book of the law.
And that no one is justified before God by the law is clear,
for the one who is righteous by faith will live.
But the law does not depend on faith;
rather, the one who does these things will live by them.
Christ ransomed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us,
for it is written, Cursed be everyone who hangs on a tree,
that the blessing of Abraham might be extended
to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus,
so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
Ps 111:1b-2, 3-4, 5-6
Responsorial PsalmR.
(5) The Lord will remember his covenant for ever.
I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart
in the company and assembly of the just.
Great are the works of the LORD,
exquisite in all their delights.
R. The Lord will remember his covenant for ever.
Majesty and glory are his work,
and his justice endures forever.
He has won renown for his wondrous deeds;
gracious and merciful is the LORD.
R. The Lord will remember his covenant for ever.
He has given food to those who fear him;
he will forever be mindful of his covenant.
He has made known to his people the power of his works,
giving them the inheritance of the nations.
R. The Lord will remember his covenant for ever.
Gospel
Lk 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.”
Meditation: Luke 11:15-26
“Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste.” (Luke 11:17)
Ever since he convinced Adam to blame Eve for the first sin, the devil has been hard at work trying to divide people against each other. He knows that like smoldering logs pulled far apart—isolated believers can easily lose the glow of the Spirit. And so he tries to get them to criticize and attack one another. He erodes their ability to trust each other. And he sows seeds of suspicion and accusation. It’s really a win-win situation for him, too. He knows that if he can start believers down the road of division, he will end up having them do the work of division for him.
What a contrast to the way the Holy Spirit works! His goal is to gather God’s people and unite them in love. He breaks down walls of division and animosity. He inspires them with a vision of what their church can look like if everyone were united in peace with the common goal of building the kingdom of God. Where the devil loves to scatter, the Spirit loves to gather.
How are these forces at work in your life? Perhaps family members nurse old grudges and deliberately cut off contact. Maybe you see co-workers competing for perks and gossiping about each other. Do neighbors remain strangers, sealed in their homes, passing on the street without a word of greeting? Maybe even your own parish has fallen into factions: those with children in the school and those without, the married and the single, those who exercise ministries and those who don’t, those who prefer organ music and those who like guitars.
In situations like these, you may be tempted to pull back and not get involved. But that only advances the isolation. Open your eyes instead! Look for ways that the Spirit is gathering people together, and join in. Track down a relative you’ve lost touch with. Look for common projects you can foster at work. Chat with the neighbor who sits on her porch every afternoon. Attend an evening of reflection in your parish.
God wants all his children to be one. And he wants you to be one of his agents of unity!
“Holy Spirit, thank you for calling me into the body of Christ. Show me how I can draw closer to you and those you love.”
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