THE WORD
Heb 9,15.24-28 / Mk 3,22-30
The scribes who had come from Jerusalem said, "He is possessed by Beelzebul and "By the prince of demons he drives out demons."
Summoning them, he began to speak to them in parables, "How can Satan drive out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand; that is the end of him. But no one can enter a strong man's house to plunder his property unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can plunder his house. Amen, I say to you, all sins and all blasphemies that people utter will be forgiven them. But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an everlasting sin. For they had said, "He has an unclean spirit."
IN OTHER WORDS
United we stand, divided we fall." Any destruction of a human organization starts with the breaking up of internal relationships. Jesus is perfectly aware of this fact and uses it to challenge the claims of his opponents. Union is not a matter of affiliation but a matter of what is in one's heart.
Having a common vision and mission is basic for us Divine Word Missionaries (SVD). In 2014, I was in charge of the preparation team for our provincial chapter in Japan. The experience became a reaffirmation that Vision-Mission statements are formulated not only to streamline our activities, but also to unite us in our missionary endeavors, so as to build the kingdom of God. The work does not depend merely on SVD priests and brothers, but it also involves the participation of lay people. In Japan, where Catholics are less than 1% of the population, collaboration transcends religious affiliations. We have to work in close coordination with our non-Catholic brothers and sisters who strive for the common good, for peace, for goodwill among peoples. Every December in our parish in Tokyo, we pray together with our Protestant brothers and sisters to commemorate the birth of our Lord. We also regularly unite in prayer for peace with our Buddhist brothers. Together with the Japanese people, we continue to work hand in hand in giving support to those who were devastated by the earthquake and tsunami five years ago.
All these endeavors are only possible because the Holy Spirit works among us and within all of us. We never lose hope but believe in love despite being a Catholic minority especially during difficult times, even amidst experiences of persecution. For us to continue to stand tall and firm, we trust in the Spirit, believing that the Spirit is at work in all our lives.
- Fr. Dindo Santiago, SVD (Japan)
The Word in other words 2017
An annual project of Logos Publications, The WORD in Other Words Bible Diary contains daily scripture readings and reflections written by priest, brothers, and sisters of the three congregations founded by St. Arnold Janssen (the SVD, SSpS, and SSpSAP). It hopes to serve as a daily companion to readers who continually seek the correlation of the Word of God and human experience.
