REFLECTIONS TODAY

From Nazareth, Jesus now moves on to Capernaum to continue his mission. This time, we see how he exercises his teaching authority in a very unique way. His word has power to drive away an unclean demon, to wrest control from the evil spirits and truly show that God’s Kingdom has come.
Our world today is permeated with various kinds of evil because of persons and groups possessed by greed, lust, violence, and sheer egoism. Do you truly believe that God’s word, if truly lived and followed, has power to challenge unjust systems and transform hearts and minds? In your personal life, when you are confronted by destructive demons, do you turn to Jesus and his word to overcome such temptations? Indeed, “the word of God is living and effective... penetrating even between soul and spirit” (Heb 4:12). Do you allow this word to take full authority in your life, to assist you to discern the “spirits” that move your thoughts and actions?
First Reading • 1 Cor 2:10b-16
Brothers and sisters: The Spirit scrutinizes everything, even the depths of God. Among men, who knows what pertains to the man except his spirit that is within? Similarly, no one knows what pertains to God except the Spirit of God. We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand the things freely given us by God. And we speak about them not with words taught by human wisdom, but with words taught by the Spirit, describing spiritual realities in spiritual terms.
Now the natural man does not accept what pertains to the Spirit of God, for to him it is foolishness, and he cannot understand it, because it is judged spiritually. The one who is spiritual, however, can judge everything but is not subject to judgment by anyone.
For “who has known the mind of the Lord, so as to counsel him?” But we have the mind of Christ.
Source: “366 Days with the Lord 2024,” St. Paul’s, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 632-895-9701; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.