Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste and house will fall against house. – Luke 11:17

       One challenge I face as a teacher of Christian Living Education is answering delicate questions from young inquiring minds. One such question is, “What’s the difference between a Christian and a Catholic?” When that question is raised, follow-up comments emerge from other kids, like, “My mom and dad said I’m Catholic!” and “Mrs. Catral, are you Catholic or Christian?” I explain to them that Catholics are Christians, and while we have certain beliefs that those who call themselves “Christians” don’t accept, I tell them that Catholics and Christians alike are all part of God’s family. We are all followers of Jesus Christ and we have a shared responsibility of spreading God's love with those who do not know Him. We could choose to focus on what divides us, or we could work together and focus on our common mission of love.

       In the Gospel today, Jesus says, “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather, scatters.” As we do our part in building God's Kingdom here on earth, let us remember that God's love has no borders, no limits, and that He can use anyone He chooses for His work. Geraldine G. Catral (catral.geegee@beaconschool.ph)

Reflection:To be Catholic means to “welcome all.” Have you been a true Catholic lately?

Dearest Lord, help me to do my part in building Your Kingdom, and to encourage others who are doing theirs.

St. Turibius of Mongrovejo, bishop, pray for us.

Jeremiah rues the fact that the Israelites are not listening to the voice of the Lord. As Christians we have the responsibility to listen to God’s call — both individually and as a Church. How faithful are you in listening to God’s Word? Do you allow Him to speak to you?

23 Thus says the Lord: This is what I commanded my people: Listen to my voice; then I will be your God and you shall be my people. Walk in all the ways that I command you, so that you may prosper. 24 But they obeyed not, nor did they pay heed. They walked in the hardness of their evil hearts and turned their backs, not their faces, to me. 25 From the day that your fathers left the land of Egypt even to this day, I have sent you untiringly all my servants the prophets. 26 Yet they have not obeyed me nor paid heed; they have stiffened their necks and done worse than their fathers. 27 When you speak all these words to them, they will not listen to you either; when you call to them, they will not answer you. 28 Say to them: This is the nation that does not listen to the voice of the Lord, its God, or take correction. Faithfulness has disappeared; the word itself is banished from their speech.

R: If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

1 Come, let us sing joyfully to the Lord; let us acclaim the Rock of our salvation. 2 Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us joyfully sing psalm to him. (R) 6 Come, let us bow down in worship; let us kneel before the Lord who made us. 7 For he is our God, and we are the people he shepherds, the flock he guides. (R) Oh, that today you would hear his voice, 8 “Harden not your hearts as at Meribah, as in the day of Massah in the desert, 9 where your fathers tempted me; they tested me though they had seen my works.” (R)

Who do we follow – God or someone else? If we do not obey the will of God, our life will not glorify Him. The single-mindedness of the saints is not fanaticism. It is commitment to God’s will. And this firm commitment is what it takes to become a saint.

Even now, says the Lord, return to me with your whole heart, for I am gracious and merciful.

14 Jesus was driving out a demon that was mute, and when the demon had gone out, the mute person spoke and the crowds were amazed. 15 Some of them said, “By the power of Beelzebul, the prince of demons, he drives out demons.” 16 Others, to test him, asked him for a sign from heaven. 17 But he knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste and house will fall against house. 18 And if Satan is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that it is by Beelzebul that I drive out demons. 19 If I, then, drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your own people drive them out? Therefore they will be your judges. 20 But if it is by the finger of God that I drive out demons, then the Kingdom of God has come upon you. 21 When a strong man fully armed guards his palace, his possessions are safe. 22 But when one stronger than he attacks and overcomes him, he takes away the armor on which he relied and distributes the spoils. 23 Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.

think: In what ways does your life say that you are for or against God?

Read the Bible in one year Genesis 28-30

T O D A Y’S BLESSING LIST

thank You, Lord, for: ______________________________________________________

THE BATTLE IN OUR HEARTS

A mute man speaks. Wow, what a miracle! No wonder that the crowds are amazed. Would you not be amazed had you been there to witness the miracle? It’s a pity Luke doesn’t tell us what the formerly mute man said. But it is likely that he glorified God in thanksgiving for his miracle. After all, he believed, like his contemporaries, that being mute was either a punishment for a sin committed or that Satan had bound his tongue.

        Even Jesus’ enemies could not deny the miracle He had just worked, but instead of accepting His power to drive out evil spirits, they came up with an accusation that it was Beelzebul, “the prince of demons,” who caused the miracle. Their envy gets the best of their common sense. Envy always tries to find a way around the truth and leads to false accusations. Jesus counters envy’s contorted reasoning with simple straightforward logic: “Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste and house will fall against house.” It cannot be by Beelzebul’s power that He drives out demons because that would mean Beelzebul is driving out his own demons.

       The strong man that Jesus speaks of is the devil. He has kept mankind under his control since the beginning of history. He has had nothing to worry about up to now because he has been the strong man able to defend his prize of corrupted human nature.

           But Jesus is stronger and He has come to attack the devil and win back from him what he has taken. He takes away his armor of evil, hate, anger, lust and egoism. On the Cross, He redeems mankind from the clutches of the evil one. And yet, the struggle between good (Jesus) and evil (the devil) continues even in our own hearts, and we are drawn into this gigantic battle. Lent is a time to be reminded to fight at the side, not of the strong man, but at the side of the stronger man, Jesus. Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD

---------- REFLECTION QUESTION -----------

Do you resist sin and temptations to fight with Jesus in His ongoing war against evil?

Lord, do not let me be blind to the force of Your love in the world. I know You are stronger than Satan. I want to be in Your camp. I want to be rescued from the clutches of sin by the power of Your love. Amen.