Thursday of the Third Week of Lent
Choose
today- The Kingdom of God or The Kingdom of Satan
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ
Jesus, Jesus had performed many healings and several exorcisms. There are
several instances that Jesus freed those troubled and oppressed souls. In
today’s Gospel instance people who witnessed however attributed it to the
power of satan not to the power of the
Holy Spirit.
The
Accusation: Some
people, especially the leaders who were always against him, reacted negatively
and accused him of resorting to Satan’s power to cast out evil spirits; they
claimed that He gains His power and authority from Satan; that He is associated
with Belzaboul,satan. They tried to defame him and slander him. They attributed
it to Satan rather than the power of God.
The Anwer: Jesus makes two interesting
arguments.
1. According to today's reading, we get
a glimpse that there are among their own who cast out demons which are
attributed to God. Jesus makes a counter argument that by associating his exorcism to the power of
satan, they naturally attribute their own to Satan. If they are accusing Jesus
they are accusing and denouncing their
own people. There is a hypocrisy and double standard here.
2. In his second argument, Jesus says
that"Every
kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste and house will fall against
house.” If the household, society, nation, the
kingdom or satan turn against their own people, land, or the force, it is
finished. It results in destruction and annihilation of its own existence. This can not be so. This would never
happen.
Jesus made it clear that it is
through the power and authority of God that He casts out evil spirits; and
brings healing and freedom from sin and satan. The presence of power and
authority of God is clearly present in all the healings and exorcisms which
point towards the kingdom of God.
At the end of the Gospel, jesus
makes a pressing statement that “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not
gather with me scatters.'' It
is either we belong to Jesus or against him; either we belong to God’ kingdom
or to the kingdom of satan; either to the light or to the darkness.
This
is what the first reading of the day
reminds us, Prophet Jeremiah reminds the people to Listen to God and obey that
they may prosper and be children of God. with God there is life and prosperity;
healing and liberation; peace and security.
But
the people turned against God and refused to follow and be faithful to his
commandments, thus they were scattered. They are in need of liberation.
Dear
Brothers and Sisters, therefore the readings invite us to question where do we
stand? Do I stand with Jesus or with evil spirits/Satan?
Do
I believe Jesus or refuse to ignore?
Let
us reflect and answer ourselves.
I am the LORD, the God of all the living!
Is anything too difficult for me? (Jeremiah 32:27)
Then Jesus approached and said to them,
“All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. (Matthew 28:18)
FR. JAYARAJU MANTHENA OCD
