Reading 1
Jer 7:23-28
Thus says the LORD:
This is what I commanded my people:
Listen to my voice;
then I will be your God and you shall be my people.
Walk in all the ways that I command you,
so that you may prosper.
But they obeyed not, nor did they pay heed.
They walked in the hardness of their evil hearts
and turned their backs, not their faces, to me.
From the day that your fathers left the land of Egypt even to this day,
I have sent you untiringly all my servants the prophets.
Yet they have not obeyed me nor paid heed;
they have stiffened their necks and done worse than their fathers.
When you speak all these words to them,
they will not listen to you either;
when you call to them, they will not answer you.
Say to them:
This is the nation that does not listen
to the voice of the LORD, its God,
or take correction.
Faithfulness has disappeared;
the word itself is banished from their speech.
Ps 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9
Responsorial PsalmR. (8)
If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Come, let us sing joyfully to the LORD;
let us acclaim the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
let us joyfully sing psalms to him.
R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Come, let us bow down in worship;
let us kneel before the LORD who made us.
For he is our God,
and we are the people he shepherds, the flock he guides.
R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Oh, that today you would hear his voice:
“Harden not your hearts as at Meribah,
as in the day of Massah in the desert,
Where your fathers tempted me;
they tested me though they had seen my works.”
R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Gospel
Lk 11:14-23
Jesus was driving out a demon that was mute,
and when the demon had gone out,
the mute man spoke and the crowds were amazed.
Some of them 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.”
Meditation: Luke 11:14-23
“It is by the finger of God that I drive out demons.” (Luke 11:20)
The crowds were amazed by the display of power that Jesus had just demonstrated. How could he drive out demons? Demons were strong, fearsome enemies of God and his people. So how could Jesus&mash;whom they thought to be just another man&mash;possibly overpower one of them? Surely Jesus was an agent of the devil. How else could he have so much power?
Can you imagine how absurd such an accusation must have sounded? Satan isn’t in the business of healing and restoring. He’s the one who divides and destroys. No, it had to be God’s power at work. And Jesus affirmed this when he told them: “If it is by the finger of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you” (Luke 11:20).
The kingdom of God! The kingdom of One who is always good. The kingdom of One who created all things and who sustains all things in love. The kingdom of One who forgives, comforts, and redeems. This is the King. And his kingdom has come!
God is not engaged in a power struggle with the devil. He is above everything, so no opposition can pose a credible threat to him or his kingdom. His strength is absolute, his intentions are pure, and his desires for us are perfect. So why should he&mash;or any of his followers&mash; fear the devil? Remember: All his enemies, even Satan, cringe before him (Psalm 66:3).
Today’s passage talks about the ease with which we can be set free from the devil’s temptation. But there is one condition: We need to “gather” with Jesus. We need to be connected with him in prayer, and we need to be connected with each other in fellowship, love, and trust. Jesus promised that when two or more are gathered in his name, he is present in a powerful way (Matthew 18:19). So if you want to know the grace, the power, and the freedom of being in his kingdom, seek out your fellow citizens in your parish. Get to know them. Start to share your life with them. Pray for each other, and support each other. Who knows where God will lead you?
“Thank you, Jesus, for calling me into your kingdom! I am yours, Lord, and I know you will shield me and guide me today.”
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