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Manila Bulletin devider devider Jesus and Beelzebul

Jesus and Beelzebul

Published Jan 21, 2018 10:00 pm

Mark 3:22-30psalm

The scribes who had come from Jerusalem said of Jesus, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and “By the prince of demons He drives out demons.”

Summoning them, He began to speak to them in parables, “How can Satan drive out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand; that is the end of him. But no one can enter a strong man’s house to plunder his property unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can plunder his house. Amen, I say to you, all sins and all blasphemies that people utter will be forgiven them. But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an everlasting sin.” For they had said, “He has an unclean spirit.”

Reflection

Guilty of an everlasting sin. Jesus teaches that where there is division, any entity cannot last. A company beset by factions is bound to crumble; a country divided is headed for ruin. This is the work of the evil one, and never of God, because God always works towards unity, harmony, peace, and communion. A peacemaker can only be inspired by the Holy Spirit who is the source of all goodness.

Jesus also reminds us that people can commit varying degrees of sin. When we attack or harm fellow human beings, it is something serious. But when we attack God Himself, the Holy Spirit, or Jesus, that is even more serious and borders on the unforgivable. To equate God with the devil is the greatest attack we can hurl against God. And when we do so, we are closing ourselves to everything that is of God.

In any case, whatever the real significance of this sin against the Holy Spirit that makes it unforgivable, what it warns us is to beware of closing ourselves entirely to God.

Do you realize how divisiveness leads to ruin?

In what ways have you tried to keep your distance  from God?

Source: “365 Days with the Lord 2018,” ST. PAULS Philippines, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 895-9701; Fax 895-7328; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.

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