3rd Week of Lent
16th March 2023 (Thursday) Readings and Reflection
{getToc} $title={Contents}
Reading of the Day
First Reading: Jeremiah 7:23-28
Thus says the Lord: "This command I gave my people: 'Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people. And walk in all the way that I command you, that it may be well with you.' But they did not obey or incline their ear, but walked in their own counsels and the stubbornness of their evil hearts, and went backwards and not forwards. From the day that your fathers came out of the land of Egypt to this day, I have persistently sent all my servants the prophets to them, day after day. Yet they did not listen to me or incline their ear, but stiffened their neck. They did worse than their fathers. "So you shall speak all these words to them, but they will not listen to you. You shall call to them, but they will not answer you. And you shall say to them, 'This is the nation that did not obey the voice of the Lord their God, and did not accept discipline; truth has perished; it is cut off from their lips.
Psalm 95:1-2, 6-7abc, 7d-9 (R. 7d-8a)
R/. O that today you would listen to his voice! Harden not your hearts.
Gospel : Luke 11:14-23
At that time: Jesus was casting out a demon that was mute. When the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke, and the people marvelled. But some of them said, "He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the prince of demons", while others, to test him, kept seeking from him a sign from heaven. But he, knowing their thoughts, said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and a divided household falls. And if Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons by Beelzebul. And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are safe; but when one stronger than he attacks him and overcomes him, he takes away his armour in which he trusted and divides his spoil. Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.
Daily Gospel Reflection
The Reflection by Fr. Thumma Mariadas Reddy MSFS{alertWarning}
Main Theme: Walk and prosper!
Indicative: There is still an abundance of good. This is truly the divine presence. But it needs openness and readiness to see, accept and experience{alertSuccess}
1. God constantly invites us to keep our eyes wide open so that we see God’s love and power. We need to listen to His voice. We must pay heed, obey and walk in His ways. But instead, very often the opposite happens as in the case of the Israel
2. We may walk in the hardness of our evil hearts, and turn our backs to God. We may stiffen our necks and not pay heed and obey God’s messages and messengers. We may refuse to take correction. Faithfulness may disappear and the word itself may be banished from our speech
3. This is truly evil pervasion. This is what we see in the gospel. A mute man’s speech is restored. This is clearly a mighty sign of God’s holiness and power of God, resident in Jesus. But the unbelieving Jews stuck to the hardness and stubbornness of their evil hearts
4. They refused to see God’s mighty intervention. They refuse to accept God’s power. As said in the first reading, the word of God which is truth was banished from their speech. They allege him of a secret pact, a coalition with Satan. They attribute his divine power to Beelzebul, the prince of demons
5. They did not have even a single word of appreciation for Jesus. Instead, they would only speak evil against him. They not only take away the credit of God’s work but also want to push Jesus into defence
6. In fact, these are the real mute people. The mute man got healed by Jesus. But it is these that need healing. Their tongues need to be released. Their speech needs to be rectified and restored. These are the people who are not with him but against him
Imperative: If we listen and obey Him, we will belong totally to Him, as God Himself assures: “Then, I will be your God and you shall be my people”{alertSuccess}