The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to implore the Spirit to renew the faith and commitment that sustain us on our journey.
In the reading from the Letter of Paul to the Galatians, he proclaims the promise of the Spirit through faith.
* [3:1–14] Paul’s contention that justification comes not through the law or the works of the law but by faith in Christ and in his death (Gal 2:16, 21) is supported by appeals to Christian experience (Gal 3:1–5) and to scripture (Gal 3:6–14). The gift of God’s Spirit to the Galatians came from the gospel received in faith, not from doing what the law enjoins. The story of Abraham shows that faith in God brings righteousness (Gal 3:6; Gn 15:6). The promise to Abraham (Gal 3:8; Gn 12:3) extends to the Gentiles (Gal 3:14). (Galatians, CHAPTER 3, n.d.)
Psalm 111 offers praise for God’s Wonderful Works.
* [Psalm 111] A Temple singer (Ps 111:1) tells how God is revealed in Israel’s history (Ps 111:2–10). The deeds reveal God’s very self, powerful, merciful, faithful. The poem is an acrostic, each verse beginning with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. (Psalms, PSALM 111, n.d.)
In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus identifies Beelzebul, urges Solidarity and warns against the return of the Unclean Spirit.
* [11:19] Your own people: the Greek reads “your sons.” Other Jewish exorcists (see Acts 19:13–20), who recognize that the power of God is active in the exorcism, would themselves convict the accusers of Jesus. See also note on Mt 12:27.
* [11:22] One stronger: i.e., Jesus. Cf. Lk 3:16 where John the Baptist identifies Jesus as “mightier than I.” (Luke, CHAPTER 11, n.d.)
George Butterfield comments that Jesus taught us, and the spiritual masters of the Christian faith have affirmed it, that we need to detach ourselves from things. Disciplines such as fasting, silence, and solitude can help sweep and clean our house. However, unlike most world religions that teach detachment - and we can learn a lot from them - Christianity also emphasizes the importance of attachment.
Through faith, we have a relationship with God to whom we grow in closeness and trust. Thus, disciplines such as prayer, meditation, contemplation, worship, and service help keep the strong man in our house. We don’t depend on any of this for our righteousness before God; I cannot earn anything from God by what I do. Yet, these disciplines help me grow in faith and depend upon God, not myself. The irony is that the more I do these things, the less I trust in them and more in the God for whom these disciplines are intended. (Galatians, CHAPTER 3, n.d.)
Don Schwager quotes “Jesus has conquered Satan,” by Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD).
"[Jesus] has conquered the ruler of this world. Having, so to speak, hamstrung him and stripped him of the power he possessed, he has given him over for a prey to his followers. He says, 'The strong man, being armed, guards his house; all his goods are in peace. But when one who is stronger than he shall come on him and overcome him, he takes away all his armor wherein he trusted and divides his spoil.' This is a plain demonstration and type of the matter depicted after the manner of human affairs... Before the coming of the Savior, he was in great power, driving and shutting up in his own stall flocks that were not his own but belonging to God over all. He was like some voracious and most insolent robber. Since the Word of God who is above all, the Giver of all might and Lord of powers attacked him, having become man, all his goods have been plundered and his spoil divided. Those of old who had been ensnared by him into ungodliness and error have been called by the holy apostles to the acknowledgment of the truth and been brought near to God the Father by faith in his Son."(excerpt from COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 81) (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on Luke 11:15-26 comments that Jesus came to gather the scattered children of God into one family. His purpose was to “create in himself one new person . . . , thus establishing peace” (Ephesians 2:15). We need look no further than Pentecost for a beautiful example of this. When the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples, not only were they filled with boldness to declare the gospel, but they also drew three thousand more to their number. And filled with that Spirit, they devoted themselves to living as one.
By confessing our sins and receiving absolution, we can break down any pride or wounded feelings that lead to or sustain division. And as you might suspect, the opposite is true as well: if we resist repentance, we give the devil a greater foothold in our lives as accuser of the brethren (Revelation 12:10) and accuser of God (Genesis 3:4-5).
Don’t let that happen! Avail yourself of the grace of Confession as often as possible. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you when your pride is keeping you divided from others. Let the Spirit become the principle and power of unity in your heart and in your family.
“Holy Spirit, soften my heart so that I can practice humble, trusting repentance. Help me to seek unity above all else.” (Meditation on Luke 11:15-26, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler discusses the accusations against Paul of being anti-Semetic. Paul uses the rabbinic “midrash” technique to make an argument for faith over the Law. Friar Jude uses the “Baal of Zebul” word play to remind us to continue to examine our motivation as we struggle with escaping evil.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces Professor Joan Mueller, a Franciscan Sister of Joy, who shares how Clare of Assisi taught her version of Franciscan prayer (1194–1253).
Medievals had a great way of doing this type of meditation. When a cathedral or local church was being frescoed, a painter would come to town and the subjects for the paintings that were being commissioned for the church’s walls and ceilings would be decided. But whom would the painter use for his artistic models? Most often, he wandered the local streets, interacted with the villagers, and decided whose faces he might portray. One day you might go to church and find yourself in a fresco listening to Jesus preach. Maybe your face would represent one of the disciples, or one of the women who cared for Jesus. Perhaps one of your children would be listening to Jesus teach. In any case, you would be placed right in the story of the gospel; your face would actually be central to the story.
This is what Clare is asking us to do. Take the gospel for the day, a gospel from mass or the liturgy of the hours, or a gospel passage from a daily devotional and imagine yourself in the midst of the story. Who would you be most comfortable portraying? What are you hearing, seeing, smelling, tasting? Clare asks us to spend a few minutes really entering into the gospel story of Jesus’ public life and imagining what it would be like to be there. . . . (Rohr, 2022)
We may need to be more attentive to the prompting of the Spirit in our prayer to act in accord with our faith in God that brings us full life.
References
Butterfield, G. (2022, October 7). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved October 7, 2022, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/100722.html
Galatians, CHAPTER 3. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved October 7, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/galatians/3?7
Luke, CHAPTER 11. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved October 7, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/11?15
Meditation on Luke 11:15-26. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved October 7, 2022, from https://wau.org/meditations/2022/10/07/506956/
Psalms, PSALM 111. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved October 7, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/111?1
Rohr, R. (2022, October 7). An Ordinary Prayer — Center for Action and Contemplation. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved October 7, 2022, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/an-ordinary-prayer-2022-10-07/
Schwager, D. (n.d.). If It Is by the Finger of God. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved October 7, 2022, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2022&date=oct7
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