Gospel

Luke 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

Jesus makes clear to his critics that their accusation is foolish. Can't use something that is evil to drive out something that is evil. Evil is what it desires. And so we see clearly that Jesus is saying that I will give you a power. The Holy Spirit dwelling within you that will guide you through the issue of dealing with evil.

But then when he says that there is something that can happen to a person who feels that evil has been drawn out of them, and then they think they have this perfect life and everything is swept and put in order, and it thinks it is now capable of dealing with evil on its own. But seven devils, seven spirits come into that kind of person, and they will never, ever survive.

Closing Prayer

Father, there's a way for us to see our life when everything seems exactly as it should be. We've covered all our responsibilities, we've done everything we should. We look at ourselves and say, you know, I'm just, I'm able to handle anything. That's when the demons come back. That's when they do their best work. When we feel that we are immune to their power. We need you. We need you, God, to protect us. And we ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.

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