Lectionary: 465
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.
Responsorial Psalm
ps 111:1b-2, 3-4, 5-6
R. (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.”
REFLECTION
SOURCE: One Bread One Body
THEME: THE SECOND WAVE OF DEMONS
"When an unclean spirit has gone out of a man, it wanders through arid wastes searching for a resting-place; failing to find one, it says, 'I will go back to where I came from.' " –Luke 11:24
When we were baptized, the Church specifically prayed for us to be delivered from the evil one. Jesus, Who is stronger than Satan, the strong man, has freed us (Lk 11:22). Jesus warns us that the evil one will return and re-enter our lives with a second and much worse wave of demons, if conditions are favorable for the evil one's return (Lk 11:24-26). Therefore, we must be clothed with Christ (Gal 3:27) and filled with the Holy Spirit (see Acts 2:4). Then when the evil one returns, he will be repelled. In other words, we must live our Baptisms as true, totally committed disciples of Jesus, or we will be re-visited by many demons.
The alternative to discipleship is not merely lukewarmness; it is being demonically manipulated in vicious, degrading ways. Thus, "when men have fled a polluted world by recognizing the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and then are caught up and overcome in pollution once more, their last condition is worse than their first. It would have been better for them not to have recognized the road to holiness than to have turned their backs on the holy law handed on to them, once they had known it" (2 Pt 2:20-21). Therefore, let us live our Baptisms and devote ourselves "to the apostles' instruction and the communal life, to the breaking of bread and the prayers" (Acts 2:42), and to helping others also be faithful to their baptismal covenants.
PRAYER: Father, in obedience to Your Son and by the power of the Spirit, I will make disciples of all nations (Mt 28:19).
PROMISE: "Christ has delivered us from the power of the law's curse by Himself becoming a curse for us." –Gal 3:13
PRAISE: David left the Church for many years. He heard God's call to him, followed it, and now is a daily communicant.
Be an inspiration, kindly Share.
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