Daily Catholic Mass Readings for October 8, 2021

Psalm 9

¹Unto the end. For the secrets of the Son. A Psalm of David. I will confess to you, Lord, with my whole heart. I will recount all your wonders²I will rejoice and exult in you. I will sing a psalm to your name, O Most High³For my enemy will be turned back. They will be weakened and perish before your face⁴For you have accomplished my judgment and my cause. You have sat upon the throne that judges justice⁵You have rebuked the Gentiles, and the impious one has perished. You have deleted their name in eternity and for all generations⁶The spears of the enemy have failed in the end, and their cities, you have destroyed. Their memory has perished with a loud noise⁷But the Lord remains in eternity. He has prepared his throne in judgment⁸And he will judge the whole world in equity. He will judge the people in justice⁹And the Lord has become a refuge for the poor, a helper in opportunity, in tribulation¹⁰And may they hope in you, who know your name. For you have not abandoned those seeking you, Lord¹¹Sing a psalm to the Lord, who dwells in Zion. Announce his study among the Gentiles¹²Because of those who yearned for their blood, he has remembered them. He has not forgotten the cry of the poor¹³Have mercy on me, Lord. See my humiliation from my enemies¹⁴You lift me up from the gates of death, so that I may announce all your praises at the gates of the daughter of Zion¹⁵I will exult in your salvation. The Gentiles have become trapped in the ruin that they made. Their foot has been caught in the same snare that they themselves had hidden¹⁶The Lord will be recognized when making judgments. The sinner has been caught in the works of his own hands¹⁷The sinners will be turned into Hell: all the Gentiles who have forgotten God¹⁸For the poor will not be forgotten in the end. The patience of the poor will not perish in the end¹⁹Rise up, Lord: do not let man be strengthened. Let the Gentiles be judged in your sight²⁰O Lord, establish a lawgiver over them, so that the Gentiles may know that they are only men

Gospel: Luke 11.15-26

Luke

Chapter 11

¹⁵But some of them said, "It is by Beelzebub, the leader of demons, that he casts out demons.¹⁶And others, testing him, required a sign from heaven of him¹⁷But when he perceived their thoughts, he said to them: "Every kingdom divided against itself will become desolate, and house will fall upon house¹⁸So then, if Satan is also divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that it is by Beelzebub that I cast out demons¹⁹But if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your own sons cast them out? Therefore, they shall be your judges²⁰Moreover, if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then certainly the kingdom of God has overtaken you²¹When a strong armed man guards his entrance, the things that he possesses are at peace²²But if a stronger one, overwhelming him, has defeated him, he will take away all his weapons, in which he trusted, and he will distribute his spoils²³Whoever is not with me, is against me. And whoever does not gather with me, scatters²⁴When an unclean spirit has departed from a man, he walks through waterless places, seeking rest. And not finding any, he says: ‘I will return to my house, from which I departed.²⁵And when he has arrived, he finds it swept clean and decorated²⁶Then he goes, and he takes in seven other spirits with him, more wicked than himself, and they enter and live there. And so, the end of that man is made worse than the beginning.

Sermon

The Gospel today presents a vivid exchange between Jesus and those who questioned His authority and the source of His power. Some accused Him of casting out demons by the power of Beelzebub, the leader of demons, while others demanded a sign from heaven to test Him. Jesus, perceiving their thoughts, responded with a series of profound truths. He emphasized that a kingdom divided against itself cannot stand, and if Satan were to fight against himself, his kingdom would collapse. Jesus then challenged His accusers, pointing out the inconsistency of their claims and inviting them to consider the deeper reality: if His power was not from Satan, then it must be from God. He warned them that the kingdom of God was already at hand, and they were either with Him or against Him. Finally, He taught a parable about an unclean spirit returning to a man, making his condition worse than before, highlighting the danger of superficial spiritual renewal without true conversion. This passage is set in the context of Jesus’ ministry, where His miracles and teachings were drawing both admiration and opposition. The Pharisees and others were threatened by His authority and sought to discredit Him by attributing His power to evil forces. Jesus’ response reveals the spiritual warfare at play and the necessity of a radical commitment to God’s kingdom. The readings remind us that spiritual truths are not neutral; we are either aligned with God or against Him. The parable of the unclean spirit serves as a warning against complacency or shallow faith, urging us to seek a deep and lasting transformation in our lives. In our daily lives, these teachings call us to reflect on our own spiritual state. Are we merely going through the motions of faith, or are we truly surrendered to God’s will? The unclean spirit’s return warns us that a life without a strong spiritual foundation is vulnerable to darkness and sin. Let us ask ourselves: Am I allowing God to truly reign in my heart, or am I resisting His grace? Jesus’ words remind us that the battle between good and evil is real, and we must choose sides. May we strive to be fully with Him, allowing His kingdom to take root in our lives, so that we may experience true freedom and peace.