Gospel
Jesus was driving out a demon that was mute,
and when the demon had gone out,
the mute man spoke and the crowds were amazed.
Some of them said, “By the power of Beelzebul, the prince of demons,
he drives out demons.”
Others, to test him, asked him for a sign from heaven.
But he knew their thoughts and said to them,
“Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste
and house will fall against house.
And if Satan is divided against himself,
how will his kingdom stand?
For you say that it is by Beelzebul that I drive out demons.
If I, then, drive out demons by Beelzebul,
by whom do your own people drive them out?
Therefore they will be your judges.
But if it is by the finger of God that I drive out demons,
then the Kingdom of God has come upon you.
When a strong man fully armed guards his palace,
his possessions are safe.
But when one stronger than he attacks and overcomes him,
he takes away the armor on which he relied
and distributes the spoils.
Whoever is not with me is against me,
and whoever does not gather with me scatters.”
Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.
It could not be clearer.
Jesus was always quite clear what we must do. He had to be because even today people live as if they can be nice and kind and get along with others and still find eternal life with God…without putting God first in their life and without loving our neighbors as ourselves. There is a tendency for the masses, even those who call themselves Christian, to give lip service by saying the right prayers and showing up every week at worship only to really prioritize their life around other things. Sunday we may go to mass (if it is convenient and we have no Sports or kids’ activities planned ) but Monday through Friday we put work ahead of God and we are not “with” Jesus. If Saturday we prioritize recreation and drinking over God, we are not gathering others to him. We are living as the pagans do who know they have no God.
And if Sunday is the only day we focus on Jesus Christ for a few minutes or maybe an hour, we may call ourselves Christian, but we are not doing what Jesus told us we must do in order to have eternal life.
And it is the common way of life for the majority of people. They say they believe in him but really mean they know who he is. They don’t truly believe and certainly do not follow his commandments. They are not with him for that requires loyalty and trustworthiness. Loyalty to always out his will above ours. Trusting in his way and his plan for us. Most of us slip back into controlling our life as soon as we walk out of Church.
We are not in control at all. If we live as if we are the ones pulling strings we have ears but do hear and eyes but don’t truly see. The Gospel is not found in our hearts and we do not use it to gather others.
Today Jesus says we are either with him or against him.
How would we describe our life. How would we describe our work week. Is Jesus with us and we with him?
Are we clearly following his commandments and will? Are we using Lent to grow closer?
That was the assignment.
Go with God inside you and beside you and follow his will for your life.
Deacon Tony Pynes 
Leave a comment