Demons and Denial

 The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today, World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, invite us to seek a new perception of our relationship to people and our social and political environment.

Danger in Denial

The Reading from the First Letter of Paul to the Corinthians proclaims The True Wisdom.

* [2:13] In spiritual terms: the Spirit teaches spiritual people a new mode of perception (1 Cor 2:12) and an appropriate language by which they can share their self-understanding, their knowledge about what God has done in them. The final phrase in 1 Cor 2:13 can also be translated “describing spiritual realities to spiritual people,” in which case it prepares for 1 Cor 2:14–16.

* [2:14] The natural person: see note on 1 Cor 3:1.

* [2:15] The spiritual person…is not subject to judgment: since spiritual persons have been given knowledge of what pertains to God (1 Cor 2:11–12), they share in God’s own capacity to judge. One to whom the mind of the Lord (and of Christ) is revealed (1 Cor 2:16) can be said to share in some sense in God’s exemption from counseling and criticism. (1 Corinthians, CHAPTER 2 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 145 declares that God’s mighty acts show forth divine kingship.

* [Psalm 145] A hymn in acrostic form; every verse begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Acrostic poems usually do not develop ideas but consist rather of loosely connected statements. The singer invites all to praise God (Ps 145:1–3, 21). The “works of God” make God present and invite human praise (Ps 145:4–7); they climax in a confession (Ps 145:8–9). God’s mighty acts show forth divine kingship (Ps 145:10–20), a major theme in the literature of early Judaism and in Christianity. (Psalms, PSALM 145 | USCCB, n.d.)

The Gospel of Luke presents The Cure of a Demoniac.

* [4:31–44] The next several incidents in Jesus’ ministry take place in Capernaum and are based on Luke’s source, Mk 1:21–39. To the previous portrait of Jesus as prophet (Lk 4:16–30) they now add a presentation of him as teacher (Lk 4:31–32), exorcist (Lk 4:32–37, 41), healer (Lk 4:38–40), and proclaimer of God’s kingdom (Lk 4:43).

* [4:34] What have you to do with us?: see note on Jn 2:4. Have you come to destroy us?: the question reflects the current belief that before the day of the Lord control over humanity would be wrested from the evil spirits, evil destroyed, and God’s authority over humanity reestablished. The synoptic gospel tradition presents Jesus carrying out this task. (Luke, CHAPTER 4 | USCCB, n.d.)

Kathy Kemler is reminded by the quote, (often attributed to Pierre Teilhard de Chardin) “We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience”. When we attend to our spirit and take note of how we are being to ourselves, to God and to others, we can quickly notice what spirit is living inside in that moment.

Wow, might it be true that if we are conscious of our spiritual nature of Christ given to us in baptism, and allow that spirit to be within us and work through us that we might actually manifest these beautiful characteristics of God listed in the psalm? And what a beautiful world we might have if all of us could do that together. We would truly have peace on earth. The quote often attributable to Nelson Mandela encourages us, we must “Be the change we want to see in the world”. The desire planted in my heart today is to ask for the grace that I might be open to allow the spirit of Christ to be in me, to work through me so that I may experience that love and compassion and pour it out into the world. I invite you to find what’s in your heart and ask God for the grace to live into it. (Kemler, 2026)

Don Schwager “New creation begins on the Sabbath,” by Ambrose of Milan, 339-397 A.D.

"He describes the works of divine healing begun on the sabbath day, to show from the outset that the new creation began where the old creation ceased. He showed us that the Son of God is not under the law but above the law, and that the law will not be destroyed but fulfilled (Matthew 5:17). For the world was not made through the law but by the Word, as we read: 'By the Word of the Lord were the heavens established' (Psalm 33:6). Thus the law is not destroyed but fulfilled, so that the renewal of humankind, already in error, may occur. The apostle too says, 'Stripping yourselves of the old man, put on the new, who was created according to Christ' (Colossians 3:9-10, Ephesians 4:22,24). He fittingly began on the sabbath, that he may show himself as Creator. He completed the work that he had already begun by weaving together works with works. (excerpt from EXPOSITION OF THE GOSPEL OF LUKE 4.58) (Schwager, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments on the texts today. In the Reading from First Corinthians, Paul speaks about the Spirit. In Corinth the difficulty was a belief that the Spirit is superior to Christ. Corinthian ideas that Incarnation is decadent are addressed in presenting that the Spirit teaches how to have the mind of Christ. It is the Spirit who leads us to Christ and the deepest knowledge. When we experience “It rings true” it is the Spirit whispering to our being. In the passage from Luke, Jesus exorcises a demon in Capernaum. The demon, as a spiritual being, knows who Jesus is. Illness was considered as a form of possession in the ancient world. Friar Jude exhorts us to call upon Jesus to defeat the evil one. We have to hold on to Christ and remember Satan is a creature and God is the Creator.

The Word Among Us Meditation on Luke 4:31-37 comments that Jesus continues to announce that the kingdom of God is at hand, through his living word in Scripture, through the witness of his life, and through the living example of his followers today.

Jesus longs for you to listen to his teachings with an open heart, just as the people of Capernaum did. So open your Bible and ponder his words. Listen closely to the words proclaimed in the Mass readings. Use your imagination to picture him living and acting in your midst today. By pondering his words and the way he lived, you’ll come to love him more and you’ll want to imitate him. Jesus really is better than even the best teacher you’ve ever had!

“Lord, help me to open my heart to your teachings!” (Meditation on Luke 4:31-37, n.d.)

Father Richard Rohr introduces public theologian Nadia Bolz-Weber who highlights how Jesus’ teaching on “carrying your cross” was not intended to increase the suffering of those on the margins.

Maybe like you, I struggle with how this denying ourselves thing is good news.  And not just because of how that verse about picking up your cross has been perverted into messages like deny your Queerness, pick up your cross of heterosexuality and follow him. Or deny your dignity and pick up your cross of continued domestic abuse and follow him. 

Recently I’ve been wondering: if, when Jesus says deny yourself and follow me, that maybe it’s not about ensuring his followers are doormats. Maybe he’s inviting us to deny the part of us that wants to see itself as separate from God and others. (Rohr, n.d.)

We implore the Spirit to come and fill our hearts with Love and desire to work to bring all the siblings of Jesus together.

References

Kemler, K. (2026, September 1). Daily Reflection September 1, 2026 | Creighton Online Ministries. Creighton Online Ministries. Retrieved September 1, 2026, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-september-1-2026 

Luke, CHAPTER 4 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved September 1, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/4?31 

Meditation on Luke 4:31-37. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved September 1, 2026, from https://wau.org/meditations/2026/09/01/1660701/ 

1 Corinthians, CHAPTER 2 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Bible Readings, Audio and Video Every Morning | USCCB. Retrieved September 1, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1corinthians/2?10 

Psalms, PSALM 145 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved September 1, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/145? 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). The Cross of Self-Sufficiency. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved September 1, 2026, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/the-cross-of-self-sufficiency/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). His Word Was with Authority and Power. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved September 1, 2026, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/ 

Suffering Rejection and Full Life

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to ponder the role of suffering and rejection in our journey to fullness of life as siblings of Jesus.

The Reading from the First Letter of Paul to the Corinthians proclaims the mystery of God.

* [2:1] The mystery of God: God’s secret, known only to himself, is his plan for the salvation of his people; it is clear from 1 Cor 1:18–25; 2:2, 8–10 that this secret involves Jesus and the cross. In place of mystery, other good manuscripts read “testimony” (cf. 1 Cor 1:6).

* [2:3] The weakness of the crucified Jesus is reflected in Paul’s own bearing (cf. 2 Cor 10–13). Fear and much trembling: reverential fear based on a sense of God’s transcendence permeates Paul’s existence and preaching. Compare his advice to the Philippians to work out their salvation with “fear and trembling” (Phil 2:12), because God is at work in them just as his exalting power was paradoxically at work in the emptying, humiliation, and obedience of Jesus to death on the cross (Phil 2:6–11).

* [2:4] Among many manuscript readings here the best is either “not with the persuasion of wisdom” or “not with persuasive words of wisdom,” which differ only by a nuance. Whichever reading is accepted, the inefficacy of human wisdom for salvation is contrasted with the power of the cross. (1 Corinthians, CHAPTER 2 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 119 glorifies God for the Torah and exhorts fidelity to the Law.

* [Psalm 119] This Psalm, the longest by far in the Psalter, praises God for giving such splendid laws and instruction for people to live by. The author glorifies and thanks God for the Torah, prays for protection from sinners enraged by others’ fidelity to the law, laments the cost of obedience, delights in the law’s consolations, begs for wisdom to understand the precepts, and asks for the rewards of keeping them. 

* [119:97] Lord: the inclusion of “Lord” follows the tradition of the Septuagint and the Vulgate. (Psalms, PSALM 119, n.d.)

The Gospel of Luke presents the Rejection of Jesus at Nazareth.

* [4:16–30] Luke has transposed to the beginning of Jesus’ ministry an incident from his Marcan source, which situated it near the end of the Galilean ministry (Mk 6:1–6a). In doing so, Luke turns the initial admiration (Lk 4:22) and subsequent rejection of Jesus (Lk 4:28–29) into a foreshadowing of the whole future ministry of Jesus. Moreover, the rejection of Jesus in his own hometown hints at the greater rejection of him by Israel (Acts 13:46).

* [4:16] According to his custom: Jesus’ practice of regularly attending synagogue is carried on by the early Christians’ practice of meeting in the temple (Acts 2:46; 3:1; 5:12).

* [4:18] The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me: see note on Lk 3:21–22. As this incident develops, Jesus is portrayed as a prophet whose ministry is compared to that of the prophets Elijah and Elisha. Prophetic anointings are known in first-century Palestinian Judaism from the Qumran literature that speaks of prophets as God’s anointed ones. To bring glad tidings to the poor: more than any other gospel writer Luke is concerned with Jesus’ attitude toward the economically and socially poor (see Lk 6:20, 24; 12:16–21; 14:12–14; 16:19–26; 19:8). At times, the poor in Luke’s gospel are associated with the downtrodden, the oppressed and afflicted, the forgotten and the neglected (Lk 4:18; 6:20–22; 7:22; 14:12–14), and it is they who accept Jesus’ message of salvation.

* [4:21] Today this scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing: this sermon inaugurates the time of fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. Luke presents the ministry of Jesus as fulfilling Old Testament hopes and expectations (Lk 7:22); for Luke, even Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection are done in fulfillment of the scriptures (Lk 24:25–27, 44–46; Acts 3:18).

* [4:23] The things that we heard were done in Capernaum: Luke’s source for this incident reveals an awareness of an earlier ministry of Jesus in Capernaum that Luke has not yet made use of because of his transposition of this Nazareth episode to the beginning of Jesus’ Galilean ministry. It is possible that by use of the future tense you will quote me…, Jesus is being portrayed as a prophet.

* [4:25–26] The references to Elijah and Elisha serve several purposes in this episode: they emphasize Luke’s portrait of Jesus as a prophet like Elijah and Elisha; they help to explain why the initial admiration of the people turns to rejection; and they provide the scriptural justification for the future Christian mission to the Gentiles. (Luke, CHAPTER 4 | USCCB, n.d.)

Tamora Whitney knows someone who grew up in Minnesota, and always said she never understood the big deal about Bob Dylan, who grew up down the street from her.

Jesus is telling the story of Naaman and Elisha when he is in Nazareth – his own home region. And he’s telling this story to his own countrymen who do not accept that Jesus is the messiah and do not recognize his power. Jesus reads the passage from Isaiah that he himself is fulfilling, but those listening are enraged that Joseph’s son is claiming to be the Lord. There was an ad running on tv about saving money on car insurance. A man needs to save some money and his father suggests this car insurance, but the man disregards his advice. Then he sees a tv commercial where a tv dad says the same thing, and this time the man thinks it’s a great idea. He won’t take the good idea from his own father. People want something fancy and flashy, something different, and can disregard the best answer that’s right in front of them because it seems too ordinary.

Jesus is right in front of us telling us to follow him. Maybe we should do that. (Whitney, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “By reading Isaiah, Jesus shows he is God and Man,” by Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD).

"Now it was necessary that he should manifest himself to the Israelites and that the mystery of his incarnation should now shine forth to those who did not know him. Now that God the Father had anointed him to save the world, he very wisely orders this also [that his fame should now spread widely]. This favor he grants first to the people of Nazareth, because, humanly speaking, he had grown up among them. Having entered the synagogue, therefore, he takes the book to read. Having opened it, he selects a passage in the Prophets which declares the mystery concerning him. By these words he himself tells us very clearly by the voice of the prophet that he would both be made man and come to save the world. For we affirm that the Son was anointed in no other way than by having become like us according to the flesh and taking our nature. Being at once God and man, he both gives the Spirit to the creation in his divine nature and receives it from God the Father in his human nature. It is he who sanctifies the whole creation, both by shining forth from the Holy Father and by bestowing the Spirit. He himself pours forth his own Spirit on the powers above and on those who recognized his appearing. (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 12) (Schwager, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments on the texts today. In the First Letter to the Corinthians Paul presents the message of Christ in weakness, fear and trembling. Paul is not an orator or powerful. He trusted in the Spirit and the power in his words. The people converted because they heard the cross and resurrection of Jesus. In Luke, Jesus is in the synagogue at Nazareth and He quotes Isaiah as the Scripture being fulfilled by His Presence in Nazareth. This is his home and they are ready to reject Him, like Elijah and Elisha who were only accepted by the outsiders too. Many things are easily available and we can take them for granted. In the Eucharist, we receive the living Lord. Friar Jude urges that we make our words and actions significant. He suggests looking at the people around us and seeing their holiness and how God is working in our midst.

The Word Among Us Meditation on Luke 4:16-30 asks Am I happy with his message until it challenges some deep-seated attitude in me? Jesus loves us too much to leave us stuck in limiting mindsets and ways of thinking. God’s plan is big!

So let in the light of his truth today. Accept Jesus’ message. Don’t try to silence him as his neighbors did. Where is the “line” that you don’t want him to cross? Who do you see as an “enemy”? Jesus is calling you to love everyone as he does and trust in him to overcome sin in each human heart—starting with your own.

“Lord, open my eyes to the ways I resist your good plan. Come and heal me!” (Meditation on Luke 4:16-30, 2026)

Father Richard Rohr considers how Jesus' choice to go to the cross reveals God’s solidarity with suffering. The “crucified God” as personified in Jesus revealed that God is always on the side of suffering wherever it is found, including the wounded and dying troops on both sides in every kind of war, and both the victims and the oppressors of this world; frankly, this pleases very few people.

If God is somehow participating in human suffering, instead of just passively tolerating it and observing it, that changes everything—at least for those who are willing to “gaze” contemplatively. All humble, suffering souls learn this from God, but the Christian Scriptures named it and revealed it publicly and dramatically in Jesus.

We can’t do it alone at all, but only by a deep identification with the Crucified One and crucified humanity. Jesus then does it in us, through us, with us, and for us. Then we have become a “new creation” (Galatians 6:15), a true disciple of Jesus, and a very different kind of human being. [2] (Rohr, n.d.)

We seek patience and perseverance as the Gifts of the Spirit that will sustain our mission to live our Baptismal anointing as priest, prophet, and leader in the environment of family and friends where our familiar face may moderate how our message is received.

References

Luke, CHAPTER 4 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved August 31, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/4?16 

Meditation on Luke 4:16-30. (2026, August 31). The Word Among Us. Retrieved August 31, 2026, from https://wau.org/meditations/2026/08/31/1657546/ 

1 Corinthians, CHAPTER 2 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved August 31, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1corinthians/2? 

Psalms, PSALM 119. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved August 31, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/119? 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Standing in Solidarity. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved August 31, 2026, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/standing-in-solidarity/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). No Prophet Is Acceptable in His Own Country. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved August 31, 2026, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/ 

Whitney, T. (n.d.). Daily Reflections. Creighton Online Ministries: Home. Retrieved August 31, 2026, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-august-31-2026