Faith Daily | 11 March 2021
PRAYER of the WEEK Lent Three
Lord God, our Redeemer,
who heard the cry of your people
and sent your servant Moses to lead them out of slavery:
free us from the tyranny of sin and death
and, by the leading of your Spirit,
bring us to our promised land;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen APBA p486
GOSPEL for the Day: Luke 11: 14-23
14 Jesus was driving out a demon that was mute. When the demon left, the man who had been mute spoke, and the crowd was amazed. 15 But some of them said, “By Beelzebul, the prince of demons, he is driving out demons.” 16 Others tested him by asking for a sign from heaven.
17 Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them: “Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall. 18 If Satan is divided against himself, how can his kingdom stand? I say this because you claim that I drive out demons by Beelzebul. 19 Now if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your followers drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. 20 But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.
21 “When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe. 22 But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted and divides up his plunder.
23 “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.
GOSPEL Reflection: Contributed by Virginia Hasker
Jesus miracles were so amazing that people found it hard to believe and to fathom who he was, and how he could bring these of amazing acts of healing about. People who were suffering from mental illness, who were uncontrollable or mute were seen to be possessed by some kind of evil spirit, which was controlling them. They were considered ‘Demoniacs’ and outcasts in their communities. In some of the stories they actually recognise Jesus for who he is and ask to be left alone. In all of the stories Jesus ‘rebukes’ them and casts them out, healing the person and allowing them to live as a member of the community again.
Observers found this astonishing and questioned Jesus’ power, asked for a sign from heaven, a stamp of authority. In this story Jesus argues the point that it isn’t possible for a power, a family or an entity to act against itself and remain intact. ‘A house divided against itself will fall’.
Evil is a destructive force in the world, working towards resentment, self-hatred and disintegration/destruction. Good, on the other hand is God’s light of love, emanating warmth, freshness, graciousness and wholeness. God’s love is a healing and restorative power working to bring about full life. Jesus points out that if the healing power is from God, then the Kingdom has come close.
Today things are no different – we can choose to live in the realm of love, the realm of hate or the realm of indifference. Indifference robs you of your soul, hate rots your soul and your life. Only love restores and renews, bringing life in all its fullness.
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FINAL PRAYER: Michael Leunig
There are only two feelings,
Love and fear.
There are only two languages,
Love and fear.
There are only two activities,
Love and fear
There are only two motives,
two procedures, two frameworks,
two results,
Love and fear.
Love and fear.
Amen