Jesus and Beelzebul
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Lk 11:15-26
[After Jesus had driven out a demon that was mute,] 15some of [the crowd] said, “By the power of Beelzebul, the prince of demons, he drives out demons.” 16Others, to test him, asked him for a sign from heaven. 17But
he knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against
itself will be laid waste and house will fall against house. 18And
if Satan is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For
you say that it is by Beelzebul that I drive out demons. 19If I, then, drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your own people drive them out? Therefore they will be your judges.
20But if it is by the finger of God that [I] drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 21When a strong man fully armed guards his palace, his possessions are safe. 22But when one stronger than he attacks and overcomes him, he takes away the armor on which he relied and distributes the spoils. 23Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.
24“When
an unclean spirit goes out of someone, it roams through arid regions
searching for rest but, finding none, it says, ‘I shall return to my
home from which I came.’ 25But upon returning, it finds it swept clean and put in order. 26Then
it goes and brings back seven other spirits more wicked than itself who
move in and dwell there, and the last condition of that person is worse
than the first.”
Reflection:
The
kingdom of God has come. As the kingdom of God is gradually being
established, evil in all its forms is being defeated, an unmistakable
sign that is still ignored by Jesus’ Jewish opponents. They choose to
discredit Jesus by accusing him of conniving with the prince of demons.
Jesus
shows the absurdity of their accusations. If he is in league with the
evil spirits, it would mean a civil war in the evil kingdom that would
result in its downfall. If he is in league with Beelzebul, then the
other Jewish exorcists who recognize the power of God active in exorcism
would convict the opponents of Jesus. Jesus acts by the finger of God,
like Moses in the past, and he is stronger than the “fully armed
strongman.” Jesus’ powerful presence and acts are signs of God’s kingdom
and call for the conversion of his opponents.
In society today, can you recognize
the signs that evil is being defeated?
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