Jesus Power Criticised
Right away from the beginning of his ministry, Jesus started facing opposition and criticism which will eventually led to his death. In today's Gospel, Jesus continues to suffer challenges from every side. His relatives started by regarding him as being out of his mind and today he suffers the challenge from the Scribes as they regard his source of power as from Beelzebul, the prince of demons. Jesus, always wise in responding, tells them that any kingdom divided amongst itself will fall and thus Satan cannot divide itself too, it cannot cast away its fellow Satan. This follows that Jesus' power is from God himself; his miracles, his casting away of demons, his teachings and all what he did are all from God, and an indication of the arrival of the kingdom of God.
Brethren, don't we sometimes make similar mistakes when we fail to attribute our blessings to God and attribute them to somebody else even to our own efforts? When we do this, we are not different from the Scribes and sinning against God and blaspheming against Him. Jesus warns us against blaspheming against the Holy Spirit as an unforgivable sin. Which sin is this? It is when you reject the Holy Spirit to work in your life, keep on sinning and with no remorse at all. Traditionally, this sin has been seen as a sin of final impenitence, or presumption. It’s the situation where someone sins gravely and then either fails to have any sorrow for that sin or simply presumes on God’s mercy without truly repenting. Either way, this lack of sorrow closes the door to God’s mercy. Remember that there are no limits to the mercy of God, but anyone who refuses to acknowledge and confess their sins and to ask God for forgiveness, spurns God's generous offer of mercy, pardon, grace, and healing. Through their own stubborn pride and willfulness, they reject God, refuse his grace and help to turn away from sin, and reject the transforming power of the Holy Spirit to heal and restore them to wholeness. Giving up on God and refusing to turn away from sin and disbelief results from pride and the loss of hope in God.
God always gives sufficient grace and help to all who humbly call upon him. The Holy Spirit, the endless love of the Father for the Son and the perfect reciprocal love of the Son for the Father, wants us to invite him to be the guest of our soul. He wants to bring us power, light, and life, and to forgive even the most wretched of our sins. In the company of the Holy Spirit, we need not fear pharisaical denials of God, but let's be warned, that when we sin against the Holy Spirit by not listening to and blaspheming against him, we cannot be forgiven.
Reflect today on the challenges and rejections which Jesus faced during his mission. Are these not the same challenges and rejections we face today, but let's know that amidst all these we shall conquer as Jesus did. All we need is to focus on mission and allow the Holy Spirit to work through and in us.
Let us Pray
Lord Jesus, help me to always be attentive to your divine working on my life and the promptings of the Holy Spirit, so that I may follow and do your will in my life. Amen
Be blessed.
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