GOSPEL READING:
Luke 11:15-2615 But some of them said, "He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the prince of demons"; 16 while others, to test him, sought from him a sign from heaven. 17 But he, knowing their thoughts, said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and a divided household falls. 18 And if Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons by Beelzebul. 19 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges. 20 But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 21 When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace; 22 but when one stronger than he assails him and overcomes him, he takes away his armor in which he trusted, and divides his spoil. 23 He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters. 24 "When the unclean spirit has gone out of a man, he passes through waterless places seeking rest; and finding none he says, `I will return to my house from which I came.' 25 And when he comes he finds it swept and put in order. 26 Then he goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first.
Meditation: When danger lurks, what kind of protection do
you seek? Jesus came to free us from the greatest danger
of all - the corrupting force of evil which destroys us from
within and makes us slaves to sin and Satan (John 8:34). Evil is
not an impersonal force that just happens. It has a name and a
face and it seeks to master every heart and soul on the face of
the earth (1 Peter 5:8-9). Scripture identifies the Evil One by
many names, 'Satan', 'Beelzebul - the 'prince of demons', the
'Devil', the 'Deceiver', the 'Father of Lies', and 'Lucifier', the
fallen angel who broke rank with God and established his own army
and kingdom in opposition to God.
Jesus has power to cast out the Deceiver and set us free
Jesus declared that he came to overthrow the power of Satan and
his kingdom (John 12:31). Jesus' numerous exorcisms brought
freedom to many who were troubled and oppressed by the work of
evil spirits. Jesus himself encountered personal opposition and
battle with Satan when he was put to the test in the wilderness
just before his public ministry (Matthew 4:1; Luke 4:1). He
overcame the Evil One through his obedience to the will of his
Father.
Some of the Jewish leaders reacted vehemently to Jesus' healings
and exorcisms and they opposed him with malicious slander. How
could Jesus get the power and authority to release individuals
from Satan's influence and control? They assumed that he had to be
in league with Satan. They attributed his power to Satan rather
than to God. Jesus answers their charge with two arguments. There
were many exorcists in Palestine in Jesus' time. So Jesus retorted
by saying that they also incriminate their own kin who cast out
demons. If they condemn Jesus they also condemn themselves.
Whose kingdom do you follow and serve?
In his second argument Jesus asserts that no kingdom divided
against itself can survive for long. We have witnessed enough
civil wars in our own time to prove the destructive force at work
here for the annihilation of whole peoples and their land. If
Satan lends his power against his own forces then he is finished.
Cyril of Alexandria, a 5th century church father explains the
force of Jesus' argument:
Kingdoms are established by the fidelity of subjects and the obedience of those under the royal scepter. Houses are established when those who belong to them in no way whatsoever thwart one another but, on the contrary, agree in will and deed. I suppose it would establish the kingdom too of Beelzebub, had he determined to abstain from everything contrary to himself. How then does Satan cast out Satan? It follows then that devils do not depart from people on their own accord but retire unwillingly. "Satan," he says, "does not fight with himself." He does not rebuke his own servants. He does not permit himself to injure his own armor bearers. On the contrary, he helps his kingdom. "It remains for you to understand that I crush Satan by divine power." [Commentary on Luke, Homily 80]
How can a strong person be defeated except by someone who is
stronger? Jesus asserted his power and authority to cast out demons
as a clear demonstration of the reign of God. Jesus' reference to
the 'finger of God' points back to Moses' confrontation with
Pharoah and his magicians who represented Satan and the kingdom of
darkness (see Exodus 8:19). Jesus claims to be carrying on the
tradition of Moses whose miracles freed the Israelites from bondage
by thefinger of God.
God's power is clearly at work in the exorcisms which Jesus
performed and they give evidence that God's kingdom has come.
God and his Word is the source of our protection and
security
What is the point of Jesus' grim story about a vacant house being
occupied by an evil force? It is not enough to banish evil
thoughts and habits from our lives. We must also fill the void
with God who is the source of all that is good, wholesome, true,
and life-giving for us. Augustine of Hippo said that our lives
have a God-shaped void which only God can fill. If we attempt to
leave it vacant or to fill it with something else which is not of
God, we will end up being in a worse state in the end.
What do you fill the void in your life with? The Lord Jesus wants
to fill our minds and hearts with the power of his life-giving
word and healing love. Jesus makes it very clear that there are no
neutral parties in this world. We are either for the Lord Jesus or
against him, for the kingdom of God or against it. We cannot serve
two kingdoms opposed to each another. There are ultimately only
two universal kingdoms which stand in opposition to one another -
the kingdom of God - his kingdom of light and truth - and the
kingdom of darkness - which is opposed to God's truth and justice
and which is dominated by Satan's lies and deception. If we
disobey God's word, we open to door to the power of sin and the
deception of Satan in our personal lives.
Is Jesus the Lord of your mind, heart, and home?
If we want to live in true freedom, then our "house" (the inner
core of our true being) must be occupied by Jesus where he is
enthroned as Lord and Savior. The Lord assures us of his
protection from spiritual harm and he gives us the help and
strength we need to resist the devil and his lies (James 4:7). The
Scriptures remind us that God is our refuge and his angels stand
guard over us:
"Because you have made the Lord your refuge, the Most High your habitation, no evil shall befall you, no scourge come near your tent. For he will give his angels charge of you to guard you in all your ways"(Psalm 91:9-11).
Do you know the peace and security of a life submitted to God and his word?
Psalm 9:1-5,7-8
1 I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.
2 I will be glad and exult in you, I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.
3 When my enemies turned back, they stumbled and perished before you.
4 For you have maintained my just cause; you have sat on the throne giving righteous judgment.
5 You have rebuked the nations, you have destroyed the wicked; you have blotted out their name for ever and ever.
7 But the LORD sits enthroned for ever, he has established his throne for judgment;
8 and he judges the world with righteousness, he judges the peoples with equity.
Daily Quote from the Early Church Fathers: Jesus has conquered Satan, by Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD)
"[Jesus] has conquered the ruler of this world. Having, so to
speak, hamstrung him and stripped him of the power he possessed,
he has given him over for a prey to his followers. He says, 'The
strong man, being armed, guards his house; all his goods are in
peace. But when one who is stronger than he shall come on him and
overcome him, he takes away all his armor wherein he trusted and
divides his spoil.' This is a plain demonstration and type of the
matter depicted after the manner of human affairs... Before the
coming of the Savior, he was in great power, driving and shutting
up in his own stall flocks that were not his own but belonging to
God over all. He was like some voracious and most insolent robber.
Since the Word of God who is above all, the Giver of all might and
Lord of powers attacked him, having become man, all his goods have
been plundered and his spoil divided. Those of old who had been
ensnared by him into ungodliness and error have been called by the
holy apostles to the acknowledgment of the truth and been brought
near to God the Father by faith in his Son."(excerpt
from COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 81)