Reflection for MONDAY, 3rd Week, Ordinary Time.

By

Fr. Aloysius Santiago sdb
Director, Social Action Movement, Don Bosco Bidar

Today's Gospel

Mark 3:22-30  

A kingdom divided against itself cannot stand 

The scribes who had come down from Jerusalem were saying, ‘Beelzebul is in him’ and, ‘It is through the prince of devils that he casts devils out.’ So he called them to him and spoke to them in parables, ‘How can Satan cast out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot last. And if a household is divided against itself, that household can never stand. Now if Satan has rebelled against himself and is divided, he cannot stand either – it is the end of him. But no one can make his way into a strong man’s house and burgle his property unless he has tied up the strong man first. Only then can he burgle his house.

‘I tell you solemnly, all men’s sins will be forgiven, and all their blasphemies; but let anyone blaspheme against the Holy Spirit and he will never have forgiveness: he is guilty of an eternal sin.’ This was because they were saying, ‘An unclean spirit is in him.’  



Meditation on the Word of God 

The tendency to sin is a condition that we all have to admit to.

Furthermore, it is not just a tendency, it is also an actuality, because the fact is that we sin.

Yet, very often, sin can be subtle that we might be blinded to the fact that it is a sin.

For e.g., telling colourful jokes, gossiping about the faults of others, selfishness, greed, etc.

All those are sins in varying degrees of gravity, but we might be numbed to the fact that it is destroying us.

Or we rationalize it away and say that it is part of our human nature and there is no big deal about it.

Yet the Holy Spirit will continue to prod us in order to make us realize our sinfulness and to ask for mercy and forgiveness.

And of course the evil spirit will also tell us that minor sins are alright, and after a while a lot of sins will seem to  be like minor sins and we will tell ourselves that it is still alright!

But when we let the Holy Spirit lead us to see the holiness of God and the love He showed in Jesus on the cross, then we will know that sin, in any form, is indeed detestable.

Let us remember that we are temples of the Holy Spirit. Let us not defile it with any sin or evil.

GOD BLESS YOU

Good morning. Have a nice day.