WHY DO SOULS TURN AWAY FROM GOD? - 03/16/23 (Thursday of the Third Week of Lent)

Luke 11:17–20

“Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and house falls upon house. And if Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons by Be-elzebul. And if I cast out demons by Be-elzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges. But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.”

For the full readings, click here: 

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/031623.cfm

Blessed Thursday! Our Lord Jesus healed a person and freed him from an evil spirit. But, some of the people in the crowd still did not believe in Him because they thought that Jesus used the power of the prince of demon to drive out other demons while others still asked for miracles as if what our Lord did was not yet enough. They turned away from God by their blasphemies and lack of faith. Jesus showed how false their explanations were by telling them that Satan would not divide his own kingdom. And yet, what we can also see here is the pattern of temptations. Temptations will always lead us to erroneous thinking. It may start with what "seems" to be a good intention, but it will always lead us to disobedience to God resulting in lack of peace. The Jews probably thought that they did not want the crowd to be deceived by evil spirits, which was a good intention, but they ended up committing blasphemy towards Christ. Some of the crowd probably knew that miracles were sign from heaven, which was right, but they ended up seeking miracles out of curiosity instead of being focused that the Kingdom of God was already at hand. 

Jesus knew the thoughts of people as He explained how wrong they were. This also shows us how we can be aware of the lies or the devil, and it's through awareness of our thoughts. The Jews were not reflecting on their thoughts which became a reason why their hearts were hardened. How can we be more aware of our thoughts? It begins through prayer. Through prayer, we should ask the Lord as to what we're thinking and why we're thinking of it. We can do this, especially when we have committed sins in order to avoid it or when we are encountering some temptations. For example, let's say that there are parents who are tempted to argue and shout with one another. At first, they may think that they want to have peace in their family, and they wanted a solution to their problem. But, their thoughts may lead to shouting at one another as if raising their voice could help them in their situations. But, if they are aware of their own thoughts in their reflection and examination, they will see that being angry with one another will cause wounds in their family and children. Moreover, they will see that it's a temptation from the devil, and they will realize, by God's grace, to trust in Jesus and to remain in peace. We all experience temptations from the devil. May we always remember that the Kingdom of God is already in our hearts because God dwells within us. Let's speak to Him in our prayers, and let's only listen to His voice. His grace will soften our hearts that are hardened by sins, and He will lead us on the path to the Kingdom of Heaven. 

Amen +

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, be with us always until the hour of our death. Amen. +

May the Lord + bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Amen. +  

Reflection by: Dominic

Fasting and Abstinence during Lent:

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/resource/56337/fasting-and-abstinence-during-lent

Examination of Conscience and Guide to Sacrament of Confession:

https://mycatholic.life/catholic-prayers/examination-of-conscience/

Ultimate Catholic Parents Guide:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=Ls6IcexZAls

Summary and Defense of Catholic Teachings:

https://www.catholic.com/tract/pillar-of-fire-pillar-of-truth