Daily Gospel Reflection for January 28, 2019

Today's Gospel: Mark 3:22-30 - St. Thomas Aquinas In this Gospel, we see Jesus being verbally attacked by the scribes. They accuse Him of being possessed by the devil and say that He uses satanic power to drive out demons. Jesus responds by pointing out the inconsistencies in their argument. A house divided against itself cannot stand. Satan cannot attack himself; it would be the end of him. There are two points to reflect on here. The first is that Jesus was being attacked for doing good: driving out demons. We can take comfort in this fact in those moments in our own lives when we do something good and are met with derision. Taking an unpopular stand that is morally right can be a very hard thing to do. It is a challenge to say and do the right thing when we know we will be attacked for it. In those moments, we can trust in Jesus and know that He understands how we feel. We can believe that our faithfulness will ultimately be rewarded. The second point is that a house divided against itself cannot stand. Our world, our communities, even our families are often so divided today. Everyone digs in their heels and maintains their position, refusing to even dialogue with the other side. Instead, we shout and hurl insults. Sometimes, we even stop seeing the other people as human. It ends up being “us” vs. “them.” We cannot succeed that way. Jesus calls us to love our enemies. While we cannot condone evil, we can make a real effort to understand why another person believes what he or she does. Minds and hearts are not changed through angry words or violence, but through personal connection and authentic conversation.

Ponder:

Are you afraid to stand up for what you believe in? What is one step you can take to get out of your comfort zone and share your faith in Christ?

Pray:

Dear Jesus, please grant me the courage and strength to always stand for what is right, and the wisdom to engage in meaningful conversation with those who disagree.