Galatians 3:7-14,
Psalm 111:1b-2.3-4.5-6,
Luke 11: 15-26 Full Readings
Saint Denis and CompanionsOvercoming Sin
Today's Gospel presents to us Jesus healing a mute man who was possessed by a demon. The Pharisees as usual could not believe in his power and thought Jesus was using the power of Beelzebul the prince of demons to cast out demons. Jesus however shows them that he is using the finger of God. Do you believe in Jesus' power of exorcism and that it is now in his servants? Jesus also notes that the demons will not give up easily after being cast out, they will keep coming and so we have to keep strong in the Lord and remain holy so that they will not have a home in us again. This coming back of demons , I would like to compare it with habitual sin.
Most of us are struggling with habitual sin. Perhaps you’ve found that you have struggled with a particular sin in your life. This sin has been committed over and over again. Eventually you resolve to confess it and overcome it. After confessing it you are overjoyed, but find that within a day you are right back to that same sin.
This common struggle people go through can be a cause of much frustration. The Scripture above speaks about this struggle from a spiritual point of view, the point of view of demonic temptation. When we target a sin to overcome and turn away from the temptation of the evil one, the demons come at us with even greater force and do not give up the battle for our souls that easily. As a result, some eventually give in to sin and choose not to try any longer to overcome it. That would be a mistake.
One key spiritual principle to understand from this passage is that the more attached we are to a particular sin, the deeper our resolve must be to overcome it. And overcoming sin can be quite painful and difficult. Overcoming sin requires deep spiritual purification and a complete submission of our mind and will to God. Without this resolve and purifying surrender, the temptations we face from the evil one will be very difficult to overcome.
Reflect, today, upon how deep your resolve is to overcome sin. When temptations come your way, are you wholeheartedly committed to overcoming them? Seek to deepen your resolve so that the temptations of the evil one do not take hold of you.
Let us pray
Lord, I surrender my life into Your hands without reserve. I beg You to strengthen me in time of temptation and to keep me free from sin. Amen
Be blessed
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