The scribes could not accept Jesus’ teaching. He was accused of being in league with the forces of evil,

though he was clearly on the side of what was good.

Jesus is indeed the stronger one. He takes on the forces of evil, and the powers of darkness cannot master him.

Jesus is scathing of those who cannot recognise goodness and who see only evil.

The Word of God teaches us to trust in the divine power and kindness of the Lord Jesus Christ.

With Him, all sins in the world and all evil will be gone through His mighty name.

 

 

Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children

St. Vincent of Saragossa, deacon and martyr

 ＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊ 

2 Samuel 5:1-7, 10

All the tribes of Israel

Came to David at Hebron and said, "We are your bone and flesh. In the past, when Saul was king over us, it was you who led Israel. And Yahweh said to you, 'You shall be the shepherd of my people Israel and you shall be commander over Israel." Before Yahweh, king David made an agreement with the elders of Israel who came to him at Hebron, and they anointed him king of Israel.

 

David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for forty years: he reigned over Judah, from Hebron, seven and a half years; and over Israel and Judah, from Jerusalem, for thirty-three years.

The king and his men set out for Jerusalem to fight the Jebusites who lived there. They said to David, "If you try to break in here, the blind and the lame will drive you away," which meant that David could not get in. Yet David captured the fortress of Zion that became the "city of David."  And David grew more powerful, for Yahweh, the God of Hosts, was with him.

 

 Ps 89:20, 21-22, 25-26 My faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him.

 

＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊       

Mark 3:22-30

Meanwhile, the teachers of the law, who had come from Jerusalem, said, "He is in the power of Beelzebul: the chief of the demons helps him to drive out demons."

Jesus called them to him, and began teaching them by means of stories, or parables. "How can Satan drive out Satan? If a nation is divided by civil war, that nation cannot stand. If a family divides itself into groups, that family will not survive. In the same way, if Satan has risen against himself and is divided, he will not stand; he is finished. No one can break into the house of a strong man in order to plunder his goods, unless he first ties up the strong man. Then indeed, he can plunder his house.

 

Truly, I say to you, every sin will be forgiven humankind, even insults to God, however numerous. But whoever slanders the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven. He carries the guilt of his sin forever."

This was their sin when they said, "He has an unclean spirit in him."

 

Gospel Reflection ：

"True unity is self-giving."

As Christians, we are called to work for greater unity. Further, our present reality shows that individuals with wrong motivations can also bond together. Some people can stand together for wicked and selfish intentions. When people act together for ill and self-serving reasons, it is not true unity. True unity lasts and serves the common good. False unity is self-securing.

 

True unity is self-giving. The Gospel narrates that Jesus cast out unclean spirits. Those people liberated by Jesus from unclean spirits experienced God's goodness. Yet, the teachers of law accused Jesus of using the power of Beelzebul to cast out demons. Jesus answered them that Satan cannot drive out Satan. This implies the clear demarcation line that separates good from evil.

 

If those on the side of evil can bond together to cause harm and sufferings to people, those on the side of goodness are challenged to unite themselves to work together for the wellbeing of everyone. No doubt, the word of God always has the power to unite the people of goodwill. Let us now be open to the unifying power of God's word.