Who can count how many lives have been lost by, for example, overestimating the skills of a car driver? Who will calculate how much is added to the cost of underestimating safety regulations? It is often too late after an accident, after a mishap, so we must prevent it.
And this is not only true in the workplace on the roads, but we also have to be aware of this in the spiritual realm when it comes to our salvation, and this is what the Gospel warns us about.
A heavy accusation has been leveled at the Lord Jesus. He is suspected of collaborating with the powers of evil – with the devil.
A superficial glance at today’s Gospel text is not enough. We all feel that the Lord Jesus has a lot at stake in the Gospel, so let us reflect on his actions. It is an indisputable fact that there is a struggle between the power of good and the power of evil. This struggle has its roots in the creation of the first man. The devil triumphed then over the first men, and he desires to triumph over us. Our mission, however, is to overcome evil with the help of the Lord Jesus. So he tells us. He is interested in everyone, whether someone wishes him well or ill, whether someone loves him or hates him, whether someone wants to compromise him or show him respect.
The Pharisees of the gospel want to compromise Jesus. They couldn’t stand his popularity, so they were looking for a way to get rid of him. Therefore, they invent that he casts out evil spirits with the help of Beelzebul. This is also the main idea of the Gospel: that Jesus is working with the devil. Jesus supposedly gets his power and strength from him.
How did the Lord Jesus respond to this? First of all, we must realize that the Lord Jesus affirms that the evil spirit exists, and therefore, we cannot underestimate it. Just as it is good, there is also wrong. We see this in various events and forms. In paradise, the devil appears in the form of a serpent to lead man to sin. We do not know in what form the devil tempted the Lord Jesus during the forty-day fast. One thing is sure; he wanted to induce him to pride. We see how the Lord Jesus responded to this. He taught us that we must not discuss with the devil. We must follow him in what Jesus told him: “Depart Satan, for it is written: Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.” (Mt. 4:10).
The devil does not stop acting. St. Peter instructs us in his First Letter: “Be sober and watch! Your adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” (1 Peter 5:8).
Therefore, we cannot treat this lightly and rashly. If he cannot do something himself, he will use his resources and people to do it. He is very consistent and persistent. If we drive him away once, he comes back a thousand times and will undertake everything to take his sacrifice, to achieve his victory.
Nowadays, evil is so often offered under the guise of good. For example, you buy a good quality product and find that you have been deceived. The result? Vigilance!
Some people can even say that what the Church teaches is not valid in our faith. Supposedly, each person can have their morals and does not have to keep the Ten Commandments. Some even claim that whatever is good for us is good. How perverse such thinking is! The devil hides what the Lord Jesus said: “He that is not with me is against me, and he that gathereth not with me, wasteth away.” (Mt. 12:30). It is impossible to be a friend of Christ and the devil simultaneously. Everyone must choose one or the other. But we must be able to choose Christ in every situation and act as Christ would work in our place.
In His conversation with the Pharisees, the Lord Jesus used logic in practice. First, He showed them that His works were vehicles of good, that He wanted to save people not only from physical death but also from spiritual death. An evil spirit will never enrich us with interest. And therefore, Christ cannot act in his name and therefore by his power. He is, after all, more powerful than the devil. For we also know from the words of St. Mark: “… when the unclean spirits saw him, they fell before him and cried out: Thou art the Son of God!” (Mk 3:11). They saw in Jesus both the Messiah and the Son of God, but unfortunately, the Pharisees did not notice this. And maybe they did notice, but they wanted to avoid acknowledging it. It’s hard sometimes to know the absolute truth when it doesn’t match our thinking.
That was and is the case today. The Pharisees ceased to exist long ago, but even today, their idea lives on, an idea invented by them that leads to erroneous views. This gospel, then, leads us to one and proper knowledge, and therefore we accept it. In the next part of Jesus’ discussion with the Pharisees, Jesus was concerned to make clear to them the error of their reasoning and use an example from life. He told them: “Every kingdom inwardly divided shall descend, and house upon house shall fall” (Luke 11:17). However, they wanted to avoid understanding. Perhaps they did understand, but they did not wish to accept this teaching; they did not dare to take his education.
Therefore, the Lord Jesus was for them a crucible of unrest. They wanted to avoid humbling themselves and avoid confessing their error openly, so they chose a pretense, deceit, falsehood instead. That is why they turned away from Christ. Hardheartedness became for them a hotbed of sins against the Holy Spirit. And this is consistent with the teaching of the Lord Jesus that this sin will not be forgiven either in this life or in the life to come.
Not because the Lord Jesus wants to avoid forgiving, but because those who commit it are so caught up in their hardness that they do not accept God’s mercy, forgiveness.
A priest told of a parishioner of his who was a good, honest man, but he attacked the Church very much, although he had convinced himself many times that he was doing wrong. He often told his wife that he regretted it, said that he would confess, and committed suicide. Several knew that he couldn’t cope with himself and was worrying himself, but he wanted to avoid admitting that he was wrong.
Let us acknowledge the power of the Lord Jesus, bow our knees, and ask for strength for the rest of our lives.
Many people have fallen prey to underestimating the teachings of Christ. Let us not underestimate his teachings, the sacraments, the value of the Holy Mass! Those who mock or publicly attack, and are not truly convinced of their truth, let them beware and let us pray for them.
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