Tag: Beelzebul

“Whoever is not with me is against me.” | Friday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time

From the responsorial psalm: “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. The Lord will remember his covenant for ever.”

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Lk 11:15-26)

“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.”

Jesus identifies himself as “one stronger” than Beelzebul, who overcomes him, takes away his armor, and distributes the spoils of victory over every soul he saves. In a chilling description of demons, Jesus describes their behavior and exposes their strategy to possess souls. Looking for a place to rest, the demons return to a soul that has been swept clean. “Then it goes and brings back seven other spirits,” Jesus says, “more wicked than itself who move in and dwell there, and the last condition of that man is worse than the first.” Helpless to save ourselves, Jesus is stronger than the strong man and brings our souls into unity with the Father. Deliver us, Lord, from every evil!

God, you know every one of my vulnerabilities and weaknesses. Keep me safe today from the Evil One; in the name of Jesus Christ your Son, keep him far from me in his restless roaming. When I am weak, let me know your strength, Lord; when I am vulnerable, be my refuge. Grant me the wisdom to know what I should truly fear and for what reason I call for your protection. As Saint John XXIII said, “It is the soul’s hell that you must fear, not the hell of the body.” Saint John XXIII, pray for us!

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

“Who are my mother and my brothers?” | Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

From the responsorial psalm: “Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD; LORD, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to my voice in supplication. With the Lord there is mercy, and fullness of redemption.”

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark (Mk 3:20-35)

His mother and his brothers arrived. Standing outside they sent word to him and called him. A crowd seated around him told him, “Your mother and your brothers and your sisters are outside asking for you.” But he said to them in reply, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” And looking around at those seated in the circle he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.”

Today’s Gospel begins and ends with descriptions of family. So great is the crowd that gathers around Jesus, they make it impossible for him to take time to eat. When his relatives hear of this, they go to remove him from the situation, saying, “He is out of his mind.” At the same time, the scribes claim that he is possessed by Beelzebul. Jesus responds to this by pointing out the inconsistency of the argument. He explains that Satan cannot cast out Satan because a kingdom divided against itself cannot stand. He tells them that no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his possessions unless he first binds the strong man, Satan. Jesus himself binds the strong man and frees us from him. As his mother and brothers stand outside asking for him, Jesus looks at the crowd circled around him and says, “Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.” Obedience to God’s will—free from the bondage of sin and blame—redefines and expands the meaning of family and is an invitation to unity with brothers and sisters in his undivided kingdom.

God, help me imitate Christ your Son, the New Adam, in recognizing brothers and sisters who do your will as part of my family with Christ as its head. Division is real, and taken in my own hands this is an impossible task. The Gospel passage says that to “those seated in the circle” Jesus said, “Here are my mother and my brothers.” Hear my voice, Lord, when I ask to remain close to Jesus in this earthly existence even as you ready me in it for eternal life. In daily life—in its struggles, its trials—help me see what is unseen for the sake of your glory. “For this momentary light affliction,” Saint Paul says, “is producing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to what is seen but to what is unseen; for what is seen is transitory, but what is unseen is eternal.” I trust in you, LORD; my soul trusts in your word. Keep me in your care!

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

“The Kingdom of God has come upon you.” | Thursday of the Third Week of Lent

From the verse before the Gospel: “Even now, says the LORD, return to me with your whole heart, for I am gracious and merciful.”

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Lk 11:14-23)

“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.”

The language Jesus uses to describe exorcism clearly shows his divine identity and connection with the Father. Even more, by giving evil a name, Beelzebul, he leaves no doubt about the reality of demonic powers at large throughout the world. Although strong, Beelzebul does not have power over the undivided authority of God to cast him out. Jesus is the stronger one who overcomes him, eliminates his armor, and distributes the spoils of victory. In Christ’s initiative to unite himself to us with our free consent of the will, the Evil One’s power to divide falls to dust. Like the mute man Jesus exorcises, when we align ourselves with Christ, the stronger man, we proclaim his holy name: “Come, let us sing joyfully to the LORD; let us acclaim the Rock of our salvation. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.”

Father in heaven, by your finger Jesus drove out demons and restored people to wholeness. Let me ponder for a minute the areas of my life where I am mute, unable to speak of you in gratitude and praise. The spoils I have, Lord, I would count as meager, yet you attack and overcome anything in me that guards the possessions that belong to you—joy, freedom from sin, my desire to know and do your will. Give me the grace to open the door to your mercy so you can enter and cast out from me what does not belong.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

“Blessed are those . . .”| Saturday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Lk 11:27-28)

While Jesus was speaking, a woman from the crowd called out and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that carried you and the breasts at which you nursed.” He replied, “Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.”

In today’s Gospel, a woman calls out from the crowd, rejoicing in the holiness of Jesus and blessing the mother who bore and nursed him. Jesus responds in a way that might seem terse and unsympathetic. Yet, the words “the womb that carried you” bring to mind Mary, the Ark of the New Covenant. What Jesus brings to all who hear him—what he fulfills through his life, death, and resurrection—is the old law and commandments brought to perfection in the new covenant. So rather than contradicting what the woman says to him, Jesus, the incarnate Word, takes her words to show us that blessedness is born by hearing his word, bearing it within, and observing it.

God, help me understand the promptings of the woman who called out to Jesus even as he was speaking. Rejoicing in the holiness of your Son, the woman couldn’t help but shout for joy. As the psalmist says, “Be glad in the LORD, you just, and give thanks to his holy name.” How often today will I see before my eyes an opportunity to rejoice in your name? I often struggle throughout the day to be aware of your presence at all, let alone rejoice in you. Let your word dwell in me today, aware and grateful for your presence in prayer, in the Scriptures, and in the sacraments. Give me the grace, Lord, to hear and observe your word and to know genuine delight in that.

From the responsorial psalm: “The LORD is king; let the earth rejoice; let the many isles be glad. Clouds and darkness are round about him, justice and judgment are the foundation of his throne. Rejoice in the Lord, you just!”

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

“Whoever is not with me is against me.” | Friday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Lk 11:15-26)

“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.”

In today’s Gospel, Jesus responds to some among a crowd who believe he drives out demons by the power of Beelzebul. Although aware that he had just driven out a demon, others in the crowd ask him for a sign from heaven to test him. Jesus knows their thoughts and makes clear in challenging their logic that he is the source not of division but of unity. He says to them, “And if Satan is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? . . . If I, then, drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your own people drive them out?” By asking that question, Jesus presents us with a fundamental choice and an invitation into his kingdom. He is, as he says, the one stronger than Satan who, by the finger of God, attacks and overcomes the kingdom of darkness and restores us to unity with his Father’s kingdom: “Whoever is not with me is against me,” Jesus says, “and whoever does not gather with me scatters.”

Father almighty, thank you for sending your Son to free me from the powers of darkness. Give me the grace today to arm myself in the struggle against evil. Everywhere, the day presents fundamental choices. As the psalmist says, “Make known to me your ways, LORD; teach me your paths. Guide me by your fidelity and teach me, for you are God my savior, for you I wait all the day long.” Dwell in me, Lord; keep me safe from the darkness and division of the evil one. “I will give thanks to you, O LORD, with all my heart.”

From the Gospel acclamation: “The prince of this world will now be cast out, and when I am lifted up from the earth I will draw all to myself, says the Lord.” Lord, in your mercy, draw me to yourself!

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.