THE WORD

Gal 3,7-14 / Lk 11,15-26 (or Lk 1,26-38)

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 it 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 person is worse than the first.”

IN OTHER WORDS

One piece of advice that we usually receive after recovering from illness is that we should take the necessary care and precaution so that the illness may not return with much more seriousness than previously experienced. This advice refers to the occurrence of a relapse (“binat” in Tagalog).  Certainly proven by our experiences, in the occurrence of a relapse, the illness comes back with a vengeance, so to speak.

The same is true in our spiritual life. Like any form of illness, sin and evil do not constitute our human nature. They infect us when we are exposed to them, willingly or unwillingly. Jesus, our healer, came to drive them out through the sacrament of reconciliation, after which we experience the reign/kingdom of God in our lives. However, sin and evil are persistent realities. Defeated though they may be by the cross of Jesus, they will not give up until the day of judgment. Jesus issues this reminder: for as long as the power of God’s reign remains in us, sin and evil have no power over us. Conversely, when we lose such power due to carelessness or complacency, we end up much worse sinners.

The gospel inspires every believer who turned away from sin and evil to fashion a life of perseverance through the vigilance of righteousness. Living the teachings of Jesus Christ daily with greater zeal and devotion is tantamount to strengthening the power of the reign of God in our lives.  To loosen our guard is to invite sin and evil to return and cause havoc in our lives.

Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, reign over me. Guide and protect me always from all evils today, everyday and always. Amen.

• Fr. Fred Saniel, SVD | DWST, Tagaytay City