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God is present in me only when the crowding, all-absorbing things of my world leave room for him -- either in or through them, or somewhere on the periphery of their existence. . . What would life be like if God did rule in me?
- Romano Guardini, The Lord
(How can you make more room for God in your life?)
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JL1:13-15; 2:1-2; PS 9:2-3, 6 AND 16, 8-9
LK 11:15-26
When Jesus had driven out a demon, some of the crowd said:
"By the power of Beelzebul, the prince of demons,
he drives out demons."
Others, to test him, asked him for a sign from heaven.
But he knew their thoughts and said to them,
"Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste
and house will fall against house.
And if Satan is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand?
For you say that it is by Beelzebul that I drive out demons.
If I, then, drive out demons by Beelzebul,
by whom do your own people drive them out?
Therefore they will be your judges.
But if it is by the finger of God that I drive out demons,
then the Kingdom of God has come upon you.
When a strong man fully armed guards his palace,
his possessions are safe.
But when one stronger than he attacks and overcomes him,
he takes away the armor on which he relied
and distributes the spoils.
Whoever is not with me is against me,
and whoever does not gather with me scatters.
"When an unclean spirit goes out of someone,
it roams through arid regions searching for rest
but, finding none, it says,
'I shall return to my home from which I came.'
But upon returning, it finds it swept clean and put in order.
Then it goes and brings back seven other spirits
more wicked than itself who move in and dwell there,
and the last condition of that man is worse than the first."
USCCB lectionary
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Reflection on the Scripture
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When someone is freed from an unclean spirit, seven other spirits more wicked than the first one can return to the person, if he opens the door to demons through his unrepented sins.
Pope St. John Paul II called for a "new evangelization." By this, he meant the evangelization of nations and cultures which were formerly Christian but have lost the faith. When these nations were evangelized, millions of people received new life in Jesus and were freed from unclean spirits. . .
Because demons are masters of deceit, they can disguise their presence. So it is difficult to determine the degree of demonic presence. However, we can get some idea about how many demons are active by looking at death, slavery, and fear, for these are areas in which demons specialize (Heb 2:14-15). Pope St. John Paul II has described this culture as a "culture of death." Many are enslaved through addictions
and compulsions. Fear abounds — from fear of terrorism to fear of biochemical warfare to phobias. . . We need not be afraid, but we must keep our hands in the hands of Jesus.
Prayer: Father, open my eyes to see the spiritual world.
Promise: "The Lord sits enthroned forever; He has set up His throne for judgment. He judges the world with justice; He governs the peoples with equity." —Ps 9:8-9
Presentation Ministries
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Abandonment to Divine Providence
- by Jean-Pierre de Caussade
BOOK II,
CHAPTER I. ON THE NATURE AND EXCELLENCE OF THE STATE OF ABANDONMENT
SECTION V. The Great Merit of Pure Faith
By the state of abandonment and of pure faith the soul gains more merit than by the most eminent good works.
Those who live by faith receive proofs, not as such, but as favours from the hand of God, and in this sense things that are extraordinary are not in contradiction to the state of pure faith.
But there are many saints whom God sets up for the salvation of souls, and from whose faces He causes rays of glory to stream for the enlightenment of the most blind. Of such were the Prophets and the Apostles and all those saints chosen by God to be set in the candlestick of the Church. There will ever be such, as there ever have been.
There is also an infinity of others who, having been created to shine in the heavens give no light in this world, but live and die in profound obscurity.
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