On Thursday of the Third Week of Lent, the Scripture Readings (Jeremiah 7:23-28; Luke 11:14-23) call us to assess whether we are with Christ or not. In doing so, we must ask ourselves how we know we are with Christ or we are not, and if we think that we are with him, how close or intimate we are with him, and how can we tell so.
One way to know is whether we really listen to him
and follow his way humbly by obeying his commands.
If you do not see that God the Father has vested His
power in him and anointed him, then, you are not with him but against him.
As Lenten season advances, do you want to see
yourself drawn closer to Jesus or as one of those who are scattered away from
him?
*****
In the Gospel Reading (Luke 11:14-23), we see some
people, who witnessed Jesus exorcising, thought that Jesus was driving a demon
out of a mute man by the power of the prince of demons, Beelzebul (v.15), while
others asked him for a sign to test him (v. 16).
These were people who were fascinated by Jesus’
supernatural power but did not believe in him. Rather, they possibly thought
that he was demonically possessed. Then, they attributed Jesus’ power of
exorcism to demonic power.
In response, Jesus challenged them how it would make
sense for a demon to strike against demon for Satan’s kingdom to stand (vv. 17-19).
Then Jesus pressed them with this question:
If, I, then, drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom
do your own people drive them out? (v. 19a).
Basically, Jesus was exposing the ignorance of those
who judged him as “possessed” to drive demons by the power of the prince of
demons. Thus, he asked them by whom or by whose power their people – their
leaders – practice exorcism and told them to judge themselves (v. 19b).
Then Jesus spoke his Christological truth:
But
if it is by the finger of God that I drive out demons, then the Kingdom of God
has come upon you (v. 20).
It is, Jesus, who drives out demons by the power of
God, so that the Kingdom may be established on earth as it is in heaven. The
healing brought by the power of God through Jesus leads to the Kingdom (i.e.
Luke 11:20), just as his words guide us to it (i.e. Matthew 5:17-19, Gospel
Reading of Wednesday of the Third Week of Lent).
What about exorcism conducted by leaders of those
who thought that Jesus was exorcising by the power of the prince of demons? By
whose power were they exorcising? And where their practice of exorcism will
lead them?
They shall judge themselves.
Jesus wraps up his sound argument against those who
were not with him that the power vested in him to exorcise and to do more,
according to the will of God the Father, is stronger than anyone, stronger than
Satan (vv. 21-22). Therefore, Jesus concluded with these convicting words:
Whoever
is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters (v.
23).
Who are with Jesus to enter the Kingdom with him?
Who are not and to be cast out?
Those who are with Jesus not only believe in him as
the Christ but listen to him and live according to his words.
The First Reading (Jeremiah 7;23-28) calls us to listen to the words of Jesus, who speaks by the power of God the Father. Those who do not listen are siff-necks and doomed to perish for their refusal to be corrected (vv. 26-28).
Jesus wants us to be with him – not just to be with
us but in a very intimate way as he is in us, he in us, as he in the Father (John
14:20; cf. John 10:30, 38) so that we all be as one (John 15:5-8;17:20-23; cf.
1 Corinthians 12:12-27) That is why those who listen to God understands that He
is our God and we are His people (i.e. Jeremiah 7:23a). So, we walk in His way,
as commanded by Him (Jeremiah 7:23b). And, He shepherds us in safety to the
verdant pasture, the eternal house of the Lord, the Kingdom of God (Psalm
23:1-6), and Jesus the Christ is our Good Shepherd, to whom we listen and obey
(ὑπακοή/hyppakouo) for life in
abundance (John 10:7-18).
To obey (ὑπακοή/hyppakouo)
literally means to listen (ἀκούω/akouo)
by submitting ourselves (under – hypo)
namely to listen with humility.
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