Luke 11:14-23

Jeremiah 7:23-28

Psalm 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9

Luke 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.”

Opening Prayer: Lord God, you created all things as good and yet, according to your divine plan, permit the angels and human beings to abuse their freedom and choose to do what is evil. May I be humble before this awesome mystery and, with your grace, seek always to do what is good and right and truly enjoy the freedom of the children of God.

Encountering the Word of God

1. Meribah and Massah: In Scripture and in prayer we hear the voice of the Lord and the Word of God. If we hear this voice, which indicates to us the path of life, God asks that we do not harden our hearts like the people of Israel in the desert at Meribah and Massah (Exodus 17:1-7). The episode of Meribah (which means “testing”) and Massah (which means “contention”) is recalled in today’s psalm. This episode occurred when the people murmured against Moses, the servant of the Lord, questioned the goodness of God, and put the Lord to the test. The people had been freed from the slavery of Egypt and were on the way to Mount Sinai, where they would enter into a covenant with the Lord. However, due to the lack of water on their journey, they began to find fault with Moses and started to doubt and despair. Even though the Word of God had been communicated to them through Moses and even though God had worked wonders in their presence – the ten plagues, the guiding pillars of cloud and fire, the crossing of the Red Sea, manna from heaven, water from the rock – the people hardened their hearts to God’s message and promise of salvation.

2. Listening to God: In the Book of Jeremiah, God accuses the people of rejecting the message given to them through the prophets. God’s plea is simple: “Listen to my voice.” Listening to and heeding God’s word leads to communion with God. The prophets serve the Lord and show us the face of God and the path we must take. A prophet points out the path to the true Exodus, to God. Prophets translate “faith into the everyday life of a community before God and on the way to him” (Benedict XVI, Jesus of Nazareth, 4). Hardness of heart and rejecting God’s word are on display in the Gospel, which shows how there are three different reactions to Jesus’ exorcism. The first group accused Jesus of siding with the devil, with Beelzebul, the prince of demons. This group rejected the manifestation of the power of God and attributed Jesus’ power to the devil. A second group tested Jesus, like the people of Israel in the desert, and demanded a heavenly sign. The third group was amazed by the exorcism and gathered around Jesus. The third group has the fundamental traits of an apostle: being with Jesus, spending time in his presence, listening to his word, and being sent out to gather the lost sheep with Jesus.

3. The Two Standards: Today’s readings call to mind the meditation on the two standards in Saint Ignatius of Loyola’s Spiritual Exercises. Ignatius invites his listeners to meditate on Christ, our commander-in-chief and Lord, who calls all men and women to join him under his standard in Jerusalem, and on Lucifer, who tempts men and women to join him under his standard in Babylon. The devil, the false captain, is seated in a chair of smoke and fire and sends demons out to all parts of the world. He tells them how to tempt people with a desire for riches, earthly honors, and pride. Christ, on the other hand, is present in a great and beautiful field. He chooses apostles and disciples and sends them throughout the world to spread his doctrine of mercy and salvation to the ends of the earth. Christ does not offer his followers riches, honors, or pride (false paths that lead to death), but rather poverty, contempt of the world, and humility (true paths that lead to life). God will do wondrous things in us and through us. Through the gift of his Spirit, he will turn our hearts of hardened stone into hearts of flesh, capable of true love. 

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, your food was to do the will of your Father. I want that to be my food and my sustenance too. You are my King and I am your loyal subject. Teach me how to bring about the establishment of your Kingdom in my life and the world around me.

Living the Word of God: We ask that God dwell in us, that we choose the victorious standard of Christ and reject the evil standard of the devil. We pray that he may reign in our lives and send us out as his apostles and prophets. What do I need to embrace today as a member of Christ’s Kingdom? And what evils do I need to eradicate from my life?