Jesus answers the Jerusalem scribes
Mark 3:22-30
The scribes who had come from Jerusalem said [of Jesus], “He is
possessed by Beelzebul,” and “By the prince of demons He drives out
demons.”
Summoning them, [Jesus] began to speak to them in parables, “How can
Satan drive out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that
kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that
house will not be able to stand. And if Satan has risen up against
himself and is divided, he cannot stand; that is the end of him. But no
one can enter a strong man’s house to plunder his property unless he
first ties up the strong man. Then he can plunder his house. Amen, I say
to you, all sins and all blasphemies that people utter will be forgiven
them. But whoever blasphemes against the holy Spirit will never have
forgiveness, but is guilty of an everlasting sin.” For they had said,
“He has an unclean spirit.”
REFLECTIONS
WHOEVER BLASPHEMES AGAINST THE HOLY SPIRIT. Jesus experiences a
strong opposition with the scribes from Jerusalem. They say that His
power to heal comes from Beelzebul. And because Beelzebul is the prince
of the demons, they accuse Jesus of working for Satan.
Jesus points to the absurdity of Satan driving out Satan. A kingdom
fighting against itself is destined to self-destruct. Only another power
greater than Beelzebul can destroy the prince of demons. To attribute
the action of God to Satan is blasphemy. If one deliberately rejects the
coming of the Holy Spirit into one’s life, change will be impossible.
In the First Reading, King David sets out for Jerusalem. He is
refused entry by the Jebusites, but because the Lord is with him, David
takes the stronghold of Zion and makes it into the City of David.
Have there been situations when you felt tempted to obstruct God’s work in you or around you.
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