Friday Gospel Recharge
A Reflection on Luke 11: 15-26
(27th Friday in Ordinary Time, Year A of the Liturgical Calander, 2023)
Keeping the Devil out: Live the Good Life
In today’s Gospel, Jesus is caught casting out demons and is
accused of performing such wonders in the name of the Devil. In their
ignorance, Jesus rebukes the people drawing to their attention that no kingdom
goes to war with itself - otherwise it heads for ruin. As a result, Jesus casts
out demons not in the name of the devil but by his own authority as God.
If we follow this passage systematically, we can postulate a
hierarchy of power. On the bottom of the scale are the power of human beings.
Although we are very capable of many things, from innovation to security, we
are pestered by the influence of the devil, whose power is out of our control.
Pest is a suitable description for this foe of ours, he never leaves us alone,
perpetually seeking a way to offer us distortions of the truth which makes for
misery when accepted and pursued as an end itself; the devil is also referred
to as the Lord of the Flies, and we are all to familiar with this creature who
is often met with the swatter, the ordinary fly itself. The devil is,
therefore, an irritant creature like the fly we find buzzing in our homes, only
that his temptation, which are his lies, tantamount to dung, is more powerful
than the microscopic dirt we find on our bench tops, left by brother insect
fly.
The devil sits in second place on that hierarchy of power. We can
deduce this from today’s Gospel passage as it reads that this creature can
wield a force strong enough to influence us and allow him to enter through the
gates of our temples, our hearts. The devil can’t be seen, but this does not
rule out his own existence. Just as the motives of our hearts has an interior
disposition belonging to the unseen and intangible principle of life, the soul,
the devil is intangible and unseen too, tempting the soul to motion in the
direction of evil, rather than the good. After all, Jesus who is truth itself
makes reference to the Devil and does so not in the abstract, but as a matter
of reality. In fact, according to today’s Gospel Jesus is seen casting that
prick out of people’s lives in whom he has made a home.
Lastly and at the top on that hierarchy of power, we find God
there. God, through the power of his finger, and as we read it, with very
little effort, puts the devil in his place, for the psychic evil he causes on
man.
So, as we read it, we are no match for the devil, a very strong
power whom Jesus does not underestimate: “So long as a strong man fully armed
guards his own palace, his goods are undisturbed;” the devil is no match for
God, a stronger power, and God can’t be matched by any of his creatures in
power and influence, the source in which all powers flow from.
This Gospel passage is frightening and enlightening at the same
time. Since Jesus is seen at work casting out devils from people, it is worrisome
to think that we are vulnerable to an external power such as the devil who can
trouble our own existence. However, because God is good, we remain hopeful that
he has the strength to relieve us from this force who can plague us.
The devil doesn’t have some free travel pass which he can then use
to either infest, oppress, obsess, or possess us - and remember these four ways
are the four degrees of diabolical possessions in which the devil can trouble
our existence. If he gets a stronghold on us in one of these four ways, it’s
because we permit him that access. The degree in which he possesses us will be
subject to the degree of vice we live by. The darker our motives, the greater
access we give Satan to enter and dwell in our hearts, making us feel dispirited,
discombobulated, empty and miserable, devoid of happiness and peace.
If you don’t want to be pestered by the devil, Jesus reminds us
that we should live good lives by filling it with good things. When it’s filled
with goodness, the “unclean spirit leaves a clean man” otherwise if your life
is empty and sinful you invite the devil, a strong power who has enough force
and influence to pest and perhaps possess you. Sin is preceded by temptation
and we only sin because we give in to the temptations the devil offers us in
our times of vulnerability. The key here is to master temptations so that we
don’t allow the devil to gain influence in our lives.
Temptation will never leave you even if you live good and holy
lives. If you are someone who finds temptation hard to combat, often falling to
sin, I think it’s time to offer some practical suggestions for you to live and
master the good life. When temptations hits you, make the sign of the cross
each time but do it with an act of faith, because it is in faith that Jesus
responds to our requests; consider even saying the sign of the cross aloud,
invoking the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, because when you say it
aloud you remind yourself who you are aligned with: a child of God; at this the
devil will jump - but again saying it in faith in Jesus Christ and not from a
position of fear will cause the devil to shudder and flee, it’s in response to
faith that Jesus will minister to us - this is no magic. Secondly, call on your
guardian angel who is given responsibility to watch over you, he will open his
wings and descend next to you; he will bless you and the devil will have no
choice except to flee.
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