If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

Luke
	English: Douay-Rheims	Latin: Vulgata Clementina	Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000)
	Luke 11
14.	And he was casting out a devil, and the same was dumb: and when he had cast out the devil, the dumb spoke: and the multitudes were in admiration at it:	Et erat ejiciens dæmonium, et illud erat mutum. Et cum ejecisset dæmonium, locutus est mutus, et admiratæ sunt turbæ.	και ην εκβαλλων δαιμονιον και αυτο ην κωφον εγενετο δε του δαιμονιου εξελθοντος ελαλησεν ο κωφος και εθαυμασαν οι οχλοι
15.	But some of them said: He casteth out devils by Beelzebub, the prince of devils.	Quidam autem ex eis dixerunt : In Beelzebub principe dæmoniorum ejicit dæmonia.	τινες δε εξ αυτων ειπον εν βεελζεβουλ αρχοντι των δαιμονιων εκβαλλει τα δαιμονια
16.	And others tempting, asked of him a sign from heaven.	Et alii tentantes, signum de cælo quærebant ab eo.	ετεροι δε πειραζοντες σημειον παρ αυτου εζητουν εξ ουρανου
17.	But he seeing their thoughts, said to them: Every kingdom divided against itself, shall be brought to desolation, and house upon house shall fall.	Ipse autem ut vidit cogitationes eorum, dixit eis : Omne regnum in seipsum divisum desolabitur, et domus supra domum cadet.	αυτος δε ειδως αυτων τα διανοηματα ειπεν αυτοις πασα βασιλεια εφ εαυτην διαμερισθεισα ερημουται και οικος επι οικον πιπτει
18.	And if Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? because you say, that through Beelzebub I cast out devils.	Si autem et Satanas in seipsum divisus est, quomodo stabit regnum ejus ? quia dicitis in Beelzebub me ejicere dæmonia.	ει δε και ο σατανας εφ εαυτον διεμερισθη πως σταθησεται η βασιλεια αυτου οτι λεγετε εν βεελζεβουλ εκβαλλειν με τα δαιμονια
19.	Now if I cast out devils by Beelzebub; by whom do your children cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges.	Si autem ego in Beelzebub ejicio dæmonia : filii vestri in quo ejiciunt ? ideo ipsi judices vestri erunt.	ει δε εγω εν βεελζεβουλ εκβαλλω τα δαιμονια οι υιοι υμων εν τινι εκβαλλουσιν δια τουτο κριται υμων αυτοι εσονται
20.	But if I by the finger of God cast out devils; doubtless the kingdom of God is come upon you.	Porro si in digito Dei ejicio dæmonia : profecto pervenit in vos regnum Dei.	ει δε εν δακτυλω θεου εκβαλλω τα δαιμονια αρα εφθασεν εφ υμας η βασιλεια του θεου
21.	When a strong man armed keepeth his court, those things are in peace which he possesseth.	Cum fortis armatus custodit atrium suum, in pace sunt ea quæ possidet.	οταν ο ισχυρος καθωπλισμενος φυλασση την εαυτου αυλην εν ειρηνη εστιν τα υπαρχοντα αυτου
22.	But if a stronger than he come upon him, and overcome him; he will take away all his armour wherein he trusted, and will distribute his spoils.	Si autem fortior eo superveniens vicerit eum, universa arma ejus auferet, in quibus confidebat, et spolia ejus distribuet.	επαν δε ο ισχυροτερος αυτου επελθων νικηση αυτον την πανοπλιαν αυτου αιρει εφ η επεποιθει και τα σκυλα αυτου διαδιδωσιν
23.	He that is not with me, is against me; and he that gathereth not with me, scattereth.	Qui non est mecum, contra me est : et qui non colligit mecum, dispergit.	ο μη ων μετ εμου κατ εμου εστιν και ο μη συναγων μετ εμου σκορπιζει

14. And he was casting out a devil, and it was dumb. And it came to pass, when the devil was gone out, the dumb spoke; and the people wondered.
15. But some of them said, He casts out devils through Beelzebub the chief of the devils.
16. And others, tempting him, sought of him a sign from heaven.

GLOSS. The Lord had promised that the Holy Spirit should be given to those that asked for it; the blessed effects whereof He indeed clearly shows in the following miracle. Hence it follows, And Jesus was casting out a devil, and it was dumb.

THEOPHYL. Now he is called as commonly meaning one who does not speak. It is also used for one who does not hear, but more properly who neither hears nor speaks. But he who has not heard from his birth necessarily cannot speak. For we speak those things which we are taught to speak by hearing. If however one has lost his hearing from a disease that has come upon him, there is nothing to hinder him from speaking. But He who was brought before the Lord was both dumb in speech, and deaf in hearing.

TIT. BOST. Now He calls the devil deaf or dumb, as being the cause of this calamity, that the Divine word should not be heard. For the devil, by taking away the quickness of human feeling, blunts the hearing of our soul. Christ therefore comes that He might cast out the devil, and that we might hear the word of truth. For He healed one that He might create a universal foretaste of man's salvation. Hence it follows, And when he: he had cast out the devil, tile dumb spoke.

BEDE; But that demoniac is related by Matthew to have been not only dumb, but blind. Three miracles then were performed at the same time on one man. The blind see, the dumb speaks, and he that was possessed by a devil is set free. The like is daily accomplished in the conversion of believers, so that the devil being first cast out, they see the light, and then those mouths which were before silent are loosened to speak the praises of God.

CYRIL; Now when the miracle was performed, the multitude extolled Him with loud praises, and the glory which was due to God. As it follows, And the people wondered.

BEDE; But since the multitudes who were thought ignorant always marveled at our Lord's actions, the Scribes and Pharisees took pains to deny them, or to pervert them by an artful interpretation, as though they were not the work of a Divine power, but of an unclean spirit. Hence it follows, But some of them said, He casts out devils through Beelzebub the prince of the devils. Beelzebub was the God Accaron. For Beel is indeed Baal himself. But Zebub means a fly. Now he is called Beelzebub as the man of flies, from whose most foul practices the chief of the devils was so named.

CYRIL; But others by similar darts of envy sought from Him a sign from heaven. As it follows, And others tempting him, sought of him a sign from heaven. As if they said, "Although you have cast out a devil from the man, this is no proof however of Divine power. For we have not yet seen any thing like to the miracles of former times. Moses led the people through the midst of the sea, and Joshua his successor stayed the sun in Gibeon. But you have shown us none of these things." For to seek signs from heaven showed that the speaker was at that time influenced by some feeling of this kind towards Christ.

17. But he, knowing their thoughts, said to them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house falls.
18. If Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? because you say that I cast out devils through Beelzebub.
19. And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your sons cast them out, therefore shall they be your judges.
20. But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you.

CHRYS. The suspicion of the Pharisees being utterly without reason, they dared not divulge it for fear of the multitude, but pondered it in their minds. Hence it is said, But he, knowing their thoughts, said to them, Every kingdom divided against itself will be brought to desolation.

BEDE; He answered not their words but their thoughts, that so at least they might be compelled to believe in His power, who saw into the secrets of the heart.

CHRYS. He did not answer them from the Scriptures, since they gave no heed to them, explaining them away falsely; but he answers them from things of every day occurrence. For a house and a city if it be divided is quickly scattered to nothing; and likewise a kingdom, than which nothing is stronger. For the harmony of the inhabitants maintains houses and kingdoms. If then, says He, I cast out devils by means of a devil, there is dissension among them, and their power perishes.

Hence He adds, But if Satan be divided against himself, how shall he stand? For Satan resists not himself, nor hurts his soldiers, but rather strengthens his kingdom. It is then by Divine power alone that I crush Satan under my feet.

AMBROSE; Herein also He shows His own kingdom to be undivided and everlasting. Those then who possess no hope in Christ, but think that He casts out devils through the chief of the devils, their kingdom, He says, is not everlasting. This also has reference to the Jewish people. For how can the kingdom of the Jews be everlasting, when by the people of the law Jesus is denied, who is promised by the law? Thus in part does the faith of the Jewish people impugn itself; the glory of the wicked is divided, by division is destroyed. And therefore the kingdom of the Church shall remain for ever, because its faith is undivided in one body.

BEDE; The kingdom also of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, is not divided, because it is sealed with an eternal stability. Let then the Arians cease to say that the Son is inferior to the Father, but the Holy Spirit inferior to the Son, since whose kingdom is one, their power is one also.

CHRYS. This then is the first answer; the second which relates to His disciples He gives as follows, And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your sons cast them out? He says not, "My disciples," but your sons, wishing to soothe their wrath.

CYRIL; For the disciples of Christ were Jews, and sprung from Jews according to the flesh, and they had obtained from Christ power over unclean spirits, and delivered those who were oppressed by them in Christ's name. Seeing then that your sons subdue Satan in My name, is it not very madness to say that I have My power from Beelzebub? you are then condemned by the faith of your children. Hence He adds, Therefore shall they be your judges.

CHRYS. For since they who come forth from you are obedient to Me, it is plain that they will condemn those who do the contrary.

BEDE; Or else, By the sons of the Jews He means the exorcists of that nation, who cast out devils by the invocation of God. As if He says, If the casting out of devils by your sons is ascribed to God, not to devils, why in My case has not the same work the same cause? Therefore shall they be your judges, not in authority to exercise judgment, but in act, since they assign to God the casting out of devils, you to Beelzebub, the chief of the devils.

CYRIL; Since then what you say bears upon it the mark of calumny, it is plain that by the Spirit of God I cast out devils. Hence He adds, But if I by the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you.

AUG. That Luke speaks of the finger of God, where Matthew has said, the Spirit, does not take away from their agreement in sense, but it rather teaches us a lesson, that we may know what meaning to give to the finger of God, whenever we read it in the Scriptures.

AUG. Now the Holy Spirit is called the finger of God, because of the distribution of gifts which are given through Him, to every one his own gift, whether he be of men or angels. For in none of our members is division more apparent than in our fingers.

CYRIL; Or the Holy Spirit is called the finger of God for this reason. The Son was said to be the hand and arm of the Father, for the Father works all things by Him. As then the finger is not separate from the hard, but by nature a part of it; so the Holy Spirit is consubstantially united to the Son, and through Him the Son does all things.

AMBROSE; Nor would you think in the compacting together of our limbs any division of power to be made, for there can be no division in an undivided thing. And therefore the appellation of finger must be referred to the form of unity, not to the distinction of power.

ATHAN. But at this time our Lord does not hesitate because of His humanity to speak of Himself as inferior to the Holy Spirit, saying, that He cast out devils by Him, as though the human nature was not sufficient for the casting out of devils without the power of the Holy Spirit.

CYRIL; And therefore it is justly said, The kingdom of God is come upon you, that is, "If I as a man cast out devils by the Spirit of God, human nature is enriched through Me, and the kingdom of God is come."

CHRYS. But it is said, upon you, that He might draw them to Him; as if He said, If prosperity comes to you, why do you despise your good things?

AMBROSE; At the same time He shows that it is a regal power which the Holy Spirit possesses, in whom is the kingdom of God, and that we in whom the Spirit dwells are a royal house.

TIT. BOST. Or He says, The kingdom of God is come upon you, signifying, "is come against you, not for you." For dreadful is the second coming of Christ to faithless Christians.

21. When a strong man armed keeps his palace, his goods are in peace:
22. But when a stronger than he shall come upon him and overcome him, he takes from him all his armor wherein he trusted, and divides his spoils.
23. He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathers not with me scatters.

CYRIL; As it was necessary for many reasons to refute the cavils of His opponents, our Lord now makes use of a very plain example, by which He proves to those who will consider it that He overcomes the power of the world, by a power inherent in Himself, saying, When a strong man armed keeps his palace.

CHRYS. He calls the devil a strong man, not because he is naturally so, but referring to his ancient dominion, of which our weakness was the cause.

CYRIL; For he used before the coming of the Savior to seize with great violence upon the flocks of another, that is, God, and carry them as it were to his own fold.

THEOPHYL. The Devil's arms are all kinds of sins, trusting in which he prevailed against men.

BEDE; But the world he calls his palace, which lies in wickedness, wherein up to our Savior's coming he enjoys supreme power, because he rested in the hearts of unbelievers without any opposition. But with a stronger and mightier power Christ has conquered, and by delivering all men has cast him out. Hence it is added, But if a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome, &c,

CYRIL; For as soon as the Word of the Most High God, the Giver of all strength, and the Lord of Hosts, was made man, He attacked him, and took away his arms.

BEDE; His arms then are the craft and the wiles of spiritual wickedness, but his spoils are the men themselves, who have been deceived by him.

CYRIL; For the Jews who had been a long time entrapped by him into ignorance of God and sin, have been called out by the holy Apostles to the knowledge of the truth, and presented to God the Father, through faith in the Son.

BASIL; Christ also divides the spoil, showing the faithful watch etch which angels keep over the salvation of men.

BEDE; As conqueror too Christ divides the spoils, which is a sign of triumph, for leading captivity captive He gave gifts to men, ordaining some Apostles, some Evangelists, some Prophets, and some Pastors and Teachers.

CHRYS. Next we have the fourth answer, where it is added, He who is not with me is against me; as if He says, I wish to present men to God, but Satan the contrary. How then would he who does not work with Me, but scatters what is Mine, become so united with Me, as with Me to cast out devils? It follows, And he who gathers not with me, scatters.

CYRIL; As if He said, I came to gather together the sons of God whom he has scattered. And Satan himself as he is not with Me, tries to scatter those which I have gathered and saved. How then does he whom I use all My efforts to resist, supply Me with power?

CHRYS. But if he who does not work with Me is My adversary, how much more he who opposes Me? It seems however to me that he here under a figure refers to the Jews, ranging them with the devil. For they also acted against, and scattered those whom He gathered together.

Catena Aurea Luke 11

The trying of a soul

Fragment of fresco
Rila Monastery, Bulgaria

The inscriptions: "toll-taking", "whereby the thievish are tried".
Held by the angel: "fasting and prayers".
Held by the devil: "envy".

Information: St. Theophanes the Chronicler

Feast Day: February 14

Born: 758, Constantinople

Died: 817

Interactive Saints for Kids

St. Fina (Seraphina)

Feast Day: March 12
Died: 1253

Seraphina was born in a little Italian town called San Geminiano, Tuscany. Her parents had once been rich, but difficult times had made them poor. Seraphina, or Fina, as her family affectionately called her, was their pretty and lively daughter who had a generous nature.

Each day she saved half of her dinner for someone in the town poorer than she was. During the day she sewed and spun cloth to help the family with expenses. At night, she usually spent a long time praying to Jesus and Mary.

When she was still quite young, her father died. Soon after, Fina was struck with an illness that deformed and paralyzed her. She found it very painful to move and had to be carried everywhere on a board. Fina lay for six years on wooden planks.

Pain rushed through her whole body and the only way she could bear it was to think of Jesus as he was nailed to the cross. "I unite my sufferings to yours, Jesus," she would whisper. Sometimes, when the pain was just too much, she would say, "It is not my wounds but yours, O Christ, that hurt me."

Fina was left alone for many hours every day because her mother had to go out to work or beg. The neighbors knew about Fina, but her sores smelled so bad that people made excuses not to go and visit her.

Then suddenly, Fina's mother also died and she was left alone. Only one neighbor, her good friend Beldia, came to care for her giving Fina as much attention as she could, but Fina had to be left alone most of the time. Fina knew that she could not live much longer but she refused to lose heart.

Someone talked to her about the terrible sufferings St. Gregory the Great had to undergo during his life. Fina became devoted to him and although she did not join the order, she lived the rest of her life following the Benedictine rule.

One day, as she groaned in pain, St. Gregory appeared to her. He said kindly, "Child, on my feast day God will grant you rest." which in older calendars was celebrated on March 12 that was the day he died in 604. And as promised, on March 12, 1253, St. Gregory came to take Fina home to heaven.

CATHOLIC ALMANAC

Thursday, March 12

Liturgical Color: Violet

Today the Church recalls St. Seraphina,
virgin. St. Seraphina was stricken by a
malady that made any movement painful.
She united her suffering with Christ’s and
spent her life performing tasks for those
less fortunate than herself. She died in
1253.

Day 71 - Jesus Denounces the Hypocrisy of the Scribes and Pharisees (Part 1)

Today's Reading: Matthew 23:1-15

1 Then said Jesus to the crowds and to his disciples, 2 "The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat; 3 so practice and observe whatever they tell you, but not what they do; for they preach, but do not practice. 4 They bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with their finger. 5 They do all their deeds to be seen by men; for they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, 6 and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues, 7 and salutations in the market places, and being called rabbi by men. 8 But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brethren. 9 And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. 10 Neither be called masters, for you have one master, the Christ. 11 He who is greatest among you shall be your servant; 12 whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

13 "But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because you shut the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither enter yourselves, nor allow those who would enter to go in. 15 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you traverse sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves.

Today's Commentary:

Other ancient authorities add here (or after verse 12) verse 14, Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you devour widows' houses and for a pretense you make long prayers; therefore you will receive the greater condemnation.

Call no man your father: Jesus uses hyperbole to post a warning that no one should pridefully desire honorific titles. His words are not meant literally. The NT writers elsewhere use father for natural fathers (Heb 12:7-11) and spiritual fathers in the Church (1 Cor 4:15; Philem 10). The spiritual fatherhood of New Covenant priests is an extension of its application to Old Covenant priests (Judg 17:10; 18:19).

Day 23

Lent Day 23 – God of the Nations

by Fr. Robert Barron

While we take comfort from much of the Bible’s message, the Bible is not always comforting news. It often carries a message of warning and danger. During this penitential season, it’s good for us to attend to the darker side of the biblical message.

When we read about the pollution of the Lord’s Temple, we discover a familiar prophetic theme: the people have wandered from the ways of God, rendering impure what God intends to be just and upright. God sends prophet after prophet in order to bring his people back, but they are ignored, mocked, and rejected. Then God’s judgment falls on the unfaithful nation.

What is the instrument of God’s justice? In one case, it was the Chaldeans, one of the heathen nations. They came and destroyed the city of Jerusalem, burned the Temple, carried off its most sacred objects, and led the people into exile.

What was this? Dumb bad luck? Just the give and take of geo-political forces? No! The Bible insists that this should be read as God’s action, more specifically, as God’s judgment and punishment. How at odds this is with the typically modern Enlightenment view, according to which religion is a private matter, confined to the heart and the mind of the individual. For the biblical authors, God is the Lord of history and time, and hence the Lord of nations and the Lord of nature. His works and actions must be discerned in all events.

If you want an example of a boldly theological reading of political events, look to Karl Barth, widely considered one of the greatest Protestant theologians of the twentieth century. At the start of the First World War, Barth was a country pastor in Switzerland who had been trained in the confident liberal theology that was all the rage around the turn of the last century. This theology shared the common view that with the rise of the natural sciences, the development of technology, and with political and cultural liberation, human beings could build the Kingdom of God here on earth.

From the quiet of his parsonage in Switzerland, Barth followed the horrors of the First World War, the slaughter of hundreds of thousands, the devastation of nations, the collapse of the European social order. Then something dawned on him: it was precisely the inflated self-regard and hubris of nineteenth-century liberalism that led to this disaster.

He saw the European powers as descendants of the Tower of Babel builders, attempting to reach up to God on their own terms and in their own way. Behind the sunny confidence of the liberal period, he discerned arrogance, imperialism, and colonialism. The advances of science were made possible through the rape of the environment and economic comfort for some was made possible through the enslavement of others.

In the end, bad personal habits have bad consequences, but bad national habits have bad consequences as well.

Catholic Culture

Daily Readings for:March 12, 2015
(Readings on USCCB website)

Collect: We implore your majesty most humbly, O Lord, that, as the feast of our salvation draws ever closer, so we may press forward all the more eagerly towards the worthy celebration of the Paschal Mystery. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

RECIPES

o Lenten Soup

o Whole Wheat Bread II

ACTIVITIES

o Good Example — A Lesson in Discipline

o Lent Hymn: Open, O Hard and Sinful Heart!

o Religion in the Home for Elementary School: March

o Religion in the Home for Preschool: March

PRAYERS

o Prayer for the Third Week of Lent

o Novena to St. Joseph

o Lent Table Blessing 3

o Novena to St. Joseph II

o Traditional Novena Prayer to St. Joseph

LIBRARY

o Gregory the Great, a Model for Civil and Religious Leaders | Pope Benedict XVI

o Saint Gregory the Great (1) | Pope Benedict XVI

o Saint Gregory the Great (2) | Pope Benedict XVI

o The Divine Office, Part III: From St. Gregory the Great to Pius X | Benedictine Monks of Buckfast Abbey

· Lent: March 12th

· Thursday of the Third Week of Lent

Old Calendar: St. Gregory the Great, pope and doctor

According to the 1962 Missal of St. John XXIII the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, today is the feast of Pope St. Gregory the Great. His feast in the Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite is celebrated on September 3.

Stational Church

Thanks to Fear of the Lord, There is no Fear of Evil
History, in fact, is not alone in the hands of dark powers, chance or human choices. Over the unleashing of evil energies, the vehement irruption of Satan, and the emergence of so many scourges and evils, the Lord rises, supreme arbiter of historical events. He leads history wisely towards the dawn of the new heavens and the new earth, sung in the final part of the book under the image of the new Jerusalem (cf. Revelation 21-22).

It must be reaffirmed, therefore, that God is not indifferent to human events, but penetrates them realizing his "ways," namely his plans and his efficacious "deeds."

According to our hymn, this divine intervention has a very specific purpose: to be a sign that invites all the peoples of the earth to conversion. Nations must learn to "read" in history a message of God. Humanity's history is not confused and without meaning, nor is it given over, without appeal, to the malfeasance of the arrogant and perverse. There is the possibility to recognize divine action hidden in it. In the pastoral constitution "Gaudium et Spes," Vatican Council II also invites the believer to scrutinize, in the light of the Gospel, the signs of the times to see in them the manifestation of the very action of God (cf. n. 4 and 11). This attitude of faith leads man to recognize the power of God operating in history, and thus to open himself to fear of the name of the Lord. In biblical language, in fact, this "fear" does not coincide with dread, but is the recognition of the mystery of the divine transcendence. Because of this, it is the basis of faith and is joined with love: "the Lord your God requires of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul" (cf. Deuteronomy 10:12).

Following this line, in our brief hymn, taken from Revelation, fear and glorification of God are united: "Who will not fear you, Lord, or glorify your name" (15:4)? Thanks to fear of the Lord there is no fear of the evil that rages in history and one takes up again with vigor the journey of life, as the prophet Isaiah declared: "Strengthen the hands that are feeble, make firm the knees that are weak, say to those whose hearts are frightened: ‘Be strong, fear not!’" (Isaiah 35: 3-4).

Excerpted from Thanks to Fear of the Lord, There Is No Fear of Evil, Pope Benedict XVI, May 11, 2005

Things to Do:

Your children may want to spend their afternoon learning about different local charitable organizations or needy families to whom the alms from the family's Lenten Jar will be given.

The Station is at the church of Sts. Cosmas and Damian, physicians. These martyrs were twin brothers originating from Arabia. They practiced medicine in Aegea, Cilicia, but accepted no money from the poor. Their beautiful Christian lives edified the pagans and converted many to the Faith. They were arrested in the persecution of Diocletian, subjected to torture, and finally beheaded.

The Word Among Us

Meditation: Luke 11:14-23

3rd Week of Lent

By the finger of God . . . (Luke 11:20)

If you went to battle against a fearsome army, how would you defend yourself? You’d likely have your own weapons, bulletproof armor, and lots of backup. But in today’s Gospel, we hear that all Jesus needs to overcome the devil is his finger!

Jesus is stronger than the devil, so much so that when Satan, a “strong man,” bothers us, Jesus, the “stronger” man, easily overcomes him! This is what the story of the two strong men in today’s Gospel reading is about. One man is “strong,” “fully armed,” and has possessions he thinks are safe. But then a “stronger man” comes along, takes away the strong man’s armor, and “overcomes” him. The strong man is Satan, whose lies and temptations can make us feel like hostages.

Where do you feel trapped or held hostage? Perhaps you feel that a pattern of sin or a struggling relationship will never get resolved. The downward spiral is too strong for you to overcome. Don’t give up! Remember Jesus, the stronger man. Remember the finger of God! In story after story in the Gospels, we read about the Lord doing awesome deeds as if it were nothing. Remember when he was confronted with a violent storm at sea. All he had to do was say, “Quiet! Be still!” and everything went calm (Mark 4:39). Or think about how he raised Jairus’ daughter from the dead with just two words: Talitha koum (5:41).

Satan may be strong, but Jesus is stronger. What’s more, he considers you very valuable. So he will absolutely answer when you call to him. Remember, he formed you and loves you. He has redeemed you and claimed you as his own. He will always come to your aid.

So invite Jesus into your strongholds. You may not see immediate results, but that doesn’t mean that he isn’t breaking through and answering your prayers. He is! Just stay close to him. “Gather” to him instead of “scattering” to other forms of comfort and security (Luke 11:23). Keep your heart fixed on him, and you’ll find him giving you his peace and his deliverance.

“Lord, you are my strong deliverer! In your protection, I rest secure.”

Jeremiah 7:23-28
Psalm 95:1-2, 6-9

Marriage=One Man and One Woman 'Til Death Do Us Part

Daily Marriage Tip for March 12, 2015:How long has it been since you had a real date with your beloved? This is the time of year when spirits lag. Christmas and Valentine’s Day have passed. The weather is gloomy. Plan a romantic pick-me-up.

Regnum Christi

Jesus or Satan

U. S. A. | SPIRITUAL LIFE | SPIRITUALITY

March 12, 2015. Thursday of the Third Week of Lent

Luke 11:14-23

Jesus was driving out a demon that was mute, and when the demon had gone out, the mute person spoke and the crowds were amazed. Some of them said, "By the power of Beelzebub, 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 Beelzebub that I drive out demons. If I, then, drive out demons by Beelzebub, 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.”

Introductory Prayer: Lord Jesus, as I prepare for Easter during this Lenten season, I turn to you once again in prayer. I wish to see you with the eyes of faith. I wish to welcome the salvation you came to give me and to accept it with a humble heart. Now, during this time of prayer, I want to give everything over to you so that your love and truth may direct my life.

Petition: Lord, help me to accept with simple faith the reality of who you are.

1. All for God’s Glory: When Christ works this simple miracle, the crowds are amazed. They are amazed at what Christ has done, but surely they were also amazed at what the mute person said. We do not know what was said, but it is likely that they were words that glorified God in thanksgiving for his miracle. Christ bestows freedom by loosening the tongue of the mute person so that he can glorify God his creator. When Jesus frees the mute person from Satan – who does not want God to be glorified and who wants to keep mankind in the chains of sin, it is so that God will be glorified. In my life, do I seek to glorify God for the wonders of his creation and all the good things he has done for me?

2. Truth or Lies: Jesus’ enemies could not deny the miracle he had just worked, but instead of accepting his power to drive out evil spirits, they came up with an accusation that it was Beelzebub who caused the miracle. Their envy gets the best of their common sense. Envy always tries to find a way around the truth. It asks for a sign or proposes a false accusation. Jesus counters envy’s contorted reasoning with simple straightforward logic: “Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste and house will fall against house.” It cannot be by the Beelzebub’s power that he drives out demons because that would mean Beelzebub is driving out his own demons. Simple logic shows that this is not so. Does my own faith help me to differentiate between lies that I hear and the truth?

3. Jesus Challenges Satan’s Reign: The strong man that Jesus speaks of is the devil. He has kept mankind under his control since Adam and Eve’s fall. He has had nothing to worry about up to now because he has been the strong man able to defend from all comers his prize of corrupted human nature. But Jesus is stronger, and he has come to attack the devil and win back from him what he has taken. He takes away his armor of evil, hate, anger, lust and egoism. He redeems mankind from the clutches of the evil one. Can I truly say that I set my faith in God and that he truly brings about good despite the natural calamities or bad intentions and actions of others, including the devil himself?

Conversation with Christ: Lord, help me to accept your miracles in my life so that my life will give you glory in my actions, words and thoughts. Do not let me be blind to the force of your love in the world. I know you are stronger than Satan. I want to be in your camp. I want to be rescued from the clutches of sin by the omnipotence of your love.

Resolution: When I am faced with a temptation, I will call to mind that Jesus is stronger than Satan and he can give me the strength to reject the temptation.

Homily of the Day

March 12, 2015

The Finger of God

In the first reading, we are told that there are people who just will not listen to God. They are stubborn and have decided not to obey God. They find pleasure in sinning because it allows them to do what they enjoy doing like cheating to accumulate excessive wealth, engaging in sexual experiences outside of marriage, wasting the goods of the earth and destroying the environment, physically and emotionally hurting others. They are slaves of sin and their consciences have become flawed from repeated sinning. They live without any thought of God and have become depraved. They are slaves of the Evil One. How can such persons be freed from their sinfulness?

The answer to this question is in the Gospel reading. Only through the “finger of God” can demons be cast out. What is this “finger of God”? This refers to the Holy Spirit. Only Jesus who sends his Holy Spirit to save sinful men is strong enough to destroy the many forms of sin.

But the sinner must first come to Jesus for deliverance. He must make an admission of guilt before Jesus can cure him. We, as Christians, have the duty to let people know that Jesus can liberate man from any sin. But man must first acknowledge his faults and believe in the gratuitous love of God. Jesus came to cure sinners and not to exalt the righteous. Let us turn to Jesus when we are in the pit of sin and death. Let us hope in his merciful love and forgiveness.

One Bread, One Body

<< Thursday, March 12, 2015 >>

Jeremiah 7:23-28
View Readings

Psalm 95:1-2, 6-9

Luke 11:14-23
Similar Reflections

ARE YOU HARDLY PRAYING THIS LENT?

"O, that today you would hear His voice: 'Harden not your heart.' " —Psalm 95:7-8

There's a lot of attention these days on hardening of the arteries, arteriosclerosis. The arteries clog and harden to the point where the flow of blood can be almost completely blocked. This can lead to sudden death. In a similar way, a hard heart, stiff neck, and turned back lead to spiritual death.

That's why we bend our knees in worship and bow our heads in prayer. That's one side effect of the various patterns of standing, sitting, kneeling, processing up to Communion and back, and so on during each Mass. We are constantly moving, which is an aid to preventing a stiff posture before the Lord. Yes, our hearts can still be hard, twisted, tortuous, and self-deceived even at Mass (see Jer 17:9). Yet at Mass we are in the Real Presence of the beating heart of Jesus in His eucharistic glory.

I challenge you during the rest of this Lent to try your best to attend Mass daily or as often as possible. If this is not possible, then increase your daily prayer time and try to pray on your knees or bowed down before the Lord. This is a way of humbling ourselves in the sight of the Lord (see Lk 18:9-14; 1 Pt 5:6).

Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make our hearts like Yours.

Prayer: "Change my heart, O God. Make it ever true."

Promise: "He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters." —Lk 11:23

Praise: Jan received a healing when praying: "Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us."

Homily of the Day

March 12, 2015

The Finger of God

In the first reading, we are told that there are people who just will not listen to God. They are stubborn and have decided not to obey God. They find pleasure in sinning because it allows them to do what they enjoy doing like cheating to accumulate excessive wealth, engaging in sexual experiences outside of marriage, wasting the goods of the earth and destroying the environment, physically and emotionally hurting others. They are slaves of sin and their consciences have become flawed from repeated sinning. They live without any thought of God and have become depraved. They are slaves of the Evil One. How can such persons be freed from their sinfulness?

The answer to this question is in the Gospel reading. Only through the “finger of God” can demons be cast out. What is this “finger of God”? This refers to the Holy Spirit. Only Jesus who sends his Holy Spirit to save sinful men is strong enough to destroy the many forms of sin.

But the sinner must first come to Jesus for deliverance. He must make an admission of guilt before Jesus can cure him. We, as Christians, have the duty to let people know that Jesus can liberate man from any sin. But man must first acknowledge his faults and believe in the gratuitous love of God. Jesus came to cure sinners and not to exalt the righteous. Let us turn to Jesus when we are in the pit of sin and death. Let us hope in his merciful love and forgiveness.

Looked for the image and could not find a credible one. The image in Wikipedia clearly reads “episcopos”, and so must be St. Theophanes Bishop of Nicea, also known as Confessor.