Daily Readings - Thu Mar 28 2019
Jeremiah
23But this command I gave them: 'Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people. And walk in all the way that I command you, that it may be well with you.'24But they did not obey or incline their ear, but walked in their own counsels and the stubbornness of their evil hearts, and went backward and not forward.25From the day that your fathers came out of the land of Egypt to this day, I have persistently sent all my servants the prophets to them, day after day.26Yet they did not listen to me or incline their ear, but stiffened their neck. They did worse than their fathers.27"So you shall speak all these words to them, but they will not listen to you. You shall call to them, but they will not answer you.28And you shall say to them, 'This is the nation that did not obey the voice of the LORD their God, and did not accept discipline; truth has perished; it is cut off from their lips.
Luke
14Now he was casting out a demon that was mute. When the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke, and the people marveled.15But some of them said, "He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the prince of demons,"16while others, to test him, kept seeking from him a sign from heaven.17But he, knowing their thoughts, said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and a divided household falls.18And if Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons by Beelzebul.19And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges.20But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.21When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are safe;22but when one stronger than he attacks him and overcomes him, he takes away his armor in which he trusted and divides his spoil.23Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the themes of listening to God and the consequences of rejecting His will. In the first reading from Jeremiah, we hear a prophet lamenting the Israelites' stubborn refusal to follow God's commandments. Despite God's repeated calls to obedience, they chose to follow their own desires, leading to their downfall. This passage serves as a reminder of the importance of faithfulness and the dangers of spiritual complacency.
In the Gospel, Luke presents Jesus facing accusations that His miracles are the work of Beelzebub, the leader of demons. Jesus counters this by pointing out the illogic of a divided kingdom and challenges His accusers to consider the true source of His power. He emphasizes that His works are done through the power of God, signaling the arrival of the kingdom of God. This passage highlights the spiritual warfare that Jesus engages in and the need for discernment in recognizing God's work in the world.
Both readings connect through the theme of spiritual discernment and the consequences of rejecting God. Jeremiah's prophecy warns against the collective failure to listen to God, while Luke's Gospel illustrates individual spiritual blindness. Together, they call us to be attentive to God's voice and to avoid the divisions that result from rejecting His truth. In our daily lives, we are encouraged to seek unity in faith and to recognize the transformative power of God's presence. Let us strive to align our wills with God's, embracing His grace and avoiding the pitfalls of spiritual division.