LENT REFLECTION

Luke 11 14 Now he was casting out a demon that was mute; when the demon had gone
out, the one who had been mute spoke, and the crowds were amazed. 15But some of
them said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons.” 16 Others, to
test him, kept demanding from him a sign from heaven. 17But he knew what they were
thinking and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and a
divided household falls. 18 If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom
stand? – for you say that I cast out the demons by Beelzebul. 19 Now if I cast out the
demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your exorcists cast them out? Therefore they will be
your judges. 20But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out the demons, then the
kingdom of God has come upon you. 21When a strong man, fully armed, guards his
castle, his property is safe. 22But when one stronger than he attacks him and overpowers
him, he takes away his armor in which he trusted and divides his plunder. 23 Whoever is
not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.

The Gospels of Luke and John are keen to stress that the Kingdom of God is a present reality (Lk 17:21),
that God is among us (Jn 1:14), that we can have fullness of life beginning in the here and now on this
earth (Jn 10:10), even before the end of time (Jn 17:3, 20:31). We don’t have to wait until after our death
before we can experience that sweetness of God’s presence, that transcendence that takes us beyond our
physicality, that holiness we are all called to; and this is not just for swooning mystics, but for us all;
whenever we experience God’s presence in our lives; at Mass and at prayer, out in the beauty and
grandeur of God’s creation, but above all, in simple acts of love for others (Gaudete et Exsultate, 96,
104). Some call it an inaugurated or ongoing eschatology. As Luke puts it, “The Kingdom of God is
within you” (Lk 17:21). We can therefore pray to ever be awake to this reality, to experience it, and to
not shut our eyes and close our ears, which is what leads to rejection of our Lord (Isa 6:9-10 LXX; John
12:37-40).
We feel the pain of our Lord Jesus Christ in today’s Gospel, at the rejection of God’s saving intervention
in our lives. Instead of praising God, we can do the unthinkable and attribute it to evil or even to our
own efforts, or even to luck. Alternatively, we can just despair and fail to recognise God’s real presence
in our lives, in pride and presumption. The sins of presumption and despair; sins against the Holy Spirit;
are not forgivable, because the presumption and despair prevent us from asking for forgiveness from
God. They are a rebellion against God’s saving intervention in our lives.
Jesus is the stronger one. He has overcome evil, sin and death. We therefore rejoice greatly, always (Phil
4:4-8). We are to live in a celebratory mood, rejoicing that our Lord has overcome evil, sin and death.
We have life in Him. We live to the full, and our joy is complete, not matter what circumstances we
face.
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God
in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thes 5:16-18).