Jeremiah 7:23-28 / Luke 11:14-23
People misjudge Jesus
“He drives out devils by
Beelzebul. ”
As
a hobby, an elderly couple raised vegetables and kept chickens. Since they were
frugal, they weren't hurting financially.
Yet whenever
someone came to them to buy fresh vegetables or fresh eggs, the couple always
charged the full market price. They gave no discount, not even to their closest
friends and neighbors. This earned them the reputation, among some people, of
being miserly. Later it was discovered that the couple gave all the proceeds
from the sale of the vegetables and eggs to two poor families living nearby.
****
Do we sometimes
tend to jump to conclusions about the actions and motives of other people?
“He who judges
others condemns himself.” English proverb (ML)
*****
When orders and
instructions are given by a superior, it is presumed that it will be obeyed and
carried out. Not to obey orders and instructions will result in consequences
that will be not be favourable for the subordinate. And of course, the higher
and greater the authority, the less negotiable will be the obedience on the
part of the subordinate.
In the gospel,
when Jesus expelled the devil from the possessed man, the devil stood no chance
against Jesus. There is no question of defying the orders of Jesus or not doing
as He ordered. The devil just had to obey.
So the devil was
not a problem for Jesus. But the problem for Jesus was the people. Though they
were amazed, some of them said that it was through Beelzebul, the prince of
devils, that He casts out devils.
But the real
problem was highlighted in the 1st reading when the Lord God said, "Listen
to my voice, then I will be your God and you shall be my people. Follow right
to the end the way that I marked out for you, and you will prosper. But they
did not listen, they did not pay attention, they followed the dictates of their
own evil hearts."
So while the
devil could not disobey the orders of God, he now tempts us to disobey God. Let
us not be foolish and fall into the temptations of the devil. Lent is the time
to renew our stand against the devil and to fight off his temptations to go
against God
Let us also pledge our obedience to Jesus and follow Him through
prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Also the consequences of disobedience are very
difficult to bear. (SY)