March 7th Lenten Reflection

Luke 11:14–23

Jesus 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. But some of them said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons.” Others, to test him, kept demanding from him a sign from heaven. But he knew what they were thinking and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself becomes a desert, and house falls on house. If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? —for you say that I cast out the demons by Beelzebul. Now if I cast out the demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your exorcists cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out the demons, then the kingdom of God has come to you. When a strong man, fully armed, guards his castle, his property is safe. But when one stronger than he attacks him and overpowers him, he takes away his armor in which he trusted and divides his plunder. Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.”

Reflection by Anna Venenga

“We have all known the long loneliness and we have learned that the only solution is love and that love comes with community.” ― Dorothy Day, The Long Loneliness

I thought of this quote while reading our Gospel lesson today. Jesus ends this lesson by saying that whoever is not for Him is against Him. If we are not for Jesus, then we are against Jesus. If we are not for Jesus, we are against all those who reside in Jesus’ community. If we are not for Jesus, we are separating ourselves from the love that comes from uniting with not only the Savior but with those whom Christ loves dearly. Instead of being strangers and becoming subject to loneliness, may we unite in our common goal to feel this immense love that comes with knowing Jesus.