When I was a seminarian, I was serving at a Mass presided over by Bishop Ted Bacani when a commotion broke out in the choir loft. One female member of the choir began to shout and cry, seemingly possessed by an evil spirit. She claimed that a man and woman were whispering to her even when there was no one there.

Six boys held her as I prayed over her. I thought she would be afraid of me because I was wearing a cassock. Instead, she laughed and kicked my chest, leaving an imprint of her sandals on my robe. I was humiliated.

Fr. Gabriele Amorth, the late exorcist of the Diocese of Rome, said, “The most effective weapon against the devil is humility. He does not know how to deal with a humble person because he is full of pride.” Let us humble ourselves before God’s power as we face our spiritual battles. Let us not rely on our strength but rather depend on God’s power to overcome the devil. 

Randel Joseph Serrano (srandeljoseph@gmail.com)

reflect

“Our captain on this battlefield is Christ Jesus. . . . Christ has bound our enemies for us and weakened them that they cannot overcome us unless we so choose to let them.” (St. Catherine of Siena)

St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. Amen.

Saint Seraphina, pray for us.

Jeremiah attributes the people’s suffering to their unwillingness to follow the Law of the Lord. The biggest issue here is their lack of trust in the Word of God, of which the Law is one aspect. If we trust in His Word, we will embrace the Law and see it as a guide for our actions. Problems arise when we prioritize the Law over love and compassion. 

²³ Thus says the Lord: This 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 which 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.

Responsorial Psalm | Psalm 95:1-2, 6-7, 7-9

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)

Gospel | Luke 11:14-23

The people are amazed by the power that Jesus constantly exercises, and they want to know its origins. They know that what Jesus does is good; but if they admit this, it is like admitting that they have been doing a bad job at leading the people. This kind of warped thinking results from jealousy or envy.

Gospel Acclamation

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 man 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.”

Reflect

“Envy kills. It does not tolerate others having something that I do not have . . . how many times, in our communities . . . are people killed through jealousy, with the tongue? Someone is envious of this, of the other, and they begin to gossip, and gossip kills.” (Pope Francis)

Read the Bible in one year! Read GENESIS 4 - 6 today.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus frees a mute and possessed man. It should have been a moment of rejoicing and wonder. Instead, it becomes a moment of division. Some accuse Him of acting by the power of evil. Others, still not satisfied, demand yet another sign.

The crowd does not deny the miracle. They simply refuse to believe what it demands of them. And so Jesus speaks plainly: “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.”

It is a sobering truth. With Christ, there is no neutral ground. We either gather with Him or we allow ourselves to be scattered—by fear, by pride, by our reluctance to surrender.

This refusal to respond is not new. In the First Reading, the prophet Jeremiah delivers God’s heartbreaking lament: “Faithfulness has disappeared; the word itself is banished from their speech.”

God kept speaking. His people stopped listening.

It is easy to think of scattering as something dramatic—like betrayal or rebellion. But sometimes, scattering happens more quietly: through indifference, through endless postponement, through the slow hardening of a heart that no longer expects God to move.

We live in a world that tempts us to stay neutral, to keep one foot in and one foot out. To admire Christ, but not follow Him too closely. To hear the Gospel, but not let it rearrange our lives. But Christ does not leave that option open. He calls us—today, not tomorrow—to gather with Him.

The choice is not between dramatic good and evil. Often, it is the quiet, hidden choice between staying half-awake or stepping forward with all our heart.And so, today, the invitation rings out again—urgent, tender, full of hope: “If today you hear His voice, harden not your hearts.” 

Fr. Albert Garong, SSP

reflection question

In what area of your life are you tempted to stay neutral when Christ is inviting you to commit more fully?

Lord, help me to gather with You today and not let fear or pride keep me from Your call. Amen.

Today, I pray for: ____________________________________