23-Jan-17

Gospel MK 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, he 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."
Reflection:
"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."
Even the scribes did not deny that Jesus had the ability to cast out demons. But, because of their fear of His popularity which distracted from their influence over the people, they accused Him of being in league with the Devil.
"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."
Jesus easily defused their accusation with logic: if the Devil was assisting Jesus in defeating his own followers, then the Devil would be helping to bring about his own defeat.
The scribes often accused Jesus of blasphemy. But here, Jesus accuses the scribes of the unforgivable sin: blaspheming against the Holy Spirit.
"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."
In accusing Jesus of being in league with the Devil, the scribes were saying that the miracles He performed were brought about through the power of evil rather than through the power of God.
God reveals His truth to us through the Holy Spirit, and it is the Holy Spirit who enables us to recognize God's truth. Jesus Christ brings about good on earth by the power of the Holy Spirit working through people.
When a person denies the power of the Holy Spirit, that person cuts themselves off from the truth and there is no longer a path to repentance.
For if one cannot recognize the truth, one cannot be sorry for their sins; forgiveness is dependent upon our being repentant.
Therefore, anyone who is incapable of being repentant (sorry for their sins) is forever held captive by their sins.
"For they had said, "He has an unclean spirit."
Anyone who attributes the good works of God to the Devil, blasphemes against the Holy Spirit."
"The person who denies the Holy Spirit is like a lamp that is not
plugged in: they are in the dark." - - Unknown