Thursday of the Third Week of Lent

Reading I: Jeremiah 7:23–28
Psalm: 95:1–2, 6–7, 8–9
Gospel: Luke 11:14–23

The Kingdom of God is at hand.

This is the message of Jesus in today’s Gospel as He makes known to His critics that there can be no neutral ground in their response to Him. It is either by the power of God or by the power of Beelzebul that the demons are being forced out—there is no third way. Jesus uses vivid imagery in making His point, describing as He does the heavily guarded palace that is Satan’s stronghold in this world. Yet the evil one’s defenses are not enough, for Jesus Christ is the one stronger than he who overcomes him and liberates the many captive sinners held within. Notice that this is more than mere metaphor or parable: the spiritual battle is real, and each of us must decide which side we are on. It is this same reality which allows Jesus to be so uncompromising in His assessment: “He who is not with me is against me” (Luke 11:23). We might be inclined to balk at the severity of this statement, but we can make sense of it when we think of it in terms of a wartime scenario. On a field of battle, every participant is very clearly either a contributor to his own side or a traitor working for the enemy.

Let us pray today for the grace to avoid that hardness of heart which would set us at odds with Christ.
May we pray as well for the courage to stand with Him whatever may come our way.

What is holding me back from trusting Jesus?

What are the idols in my life which I need to overcome if I am to serve Him with my whole being?

Reference:

Journey Through Lent: Reflections on the Daily Mass Readings by Clement Harrold