Bible Diary

Daily Reading

Friday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time

LECTIONARY
465

FIRST READING

Gal 3:7-14

Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify[a] the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.” So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.” But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.” Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.

PSALM

PS 111:1B-2, 3-4, 5-6

Response: The Lord will remember his covenant for ever.

I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart
in the company and assembly of the just.
Great are the works of the LORD,
exquisite in all their delights.

Majesty and glory are his work,
and his justice endures forever.
He has won renown for his wondrous deeds;
gracious and merciful is the LORD.

He has given food to those who fear him;
he will forever be mindful of his covenant.
He has made known to his people the power of his works,
giving them the inheritance of the nations.

GOSPEL

Lk 11:15-26

But some of them said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the prince of demons,” while others, to test him, kept seeking from him a sign from heaven. But he, knowing their thoughts, said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and a divided household falls. And if Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons by Beelzebul. And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are safe; but when one stronger than he attacks him and overcomes him, he takes away his armor in which he trusted and divides his spoil. Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.“When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and finding none it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when it comes, it finds the house swept and put in order. Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there. And the last state of that person is worse than the first.”

Daily Reflection

St Paul’s argument shatters the theory of those who kept insisting that one was saved by the Law alone. According to Paul, Abraham was told by God that in him all nations would be blessed! Hence those who show faith are saved and receive the same blessings as Abraham, the father of faith; even though they may have lived years before the law was given by Moses. The gift of the Spirit cannot be restricted to those who live solely by the Law.

In the Gospel, Jesus’ exorcisms testify that those who possess the Spirit of God are capable of great feats. In claiming that it is through the finger of God that He casts out demons, Jesus is speaking of the almighty power of God of which only a finger is required to combat evil.

Jesus also advises those who have been liberated from their evil ways to necessarily replace them with some positive activity or else in moments of temptation they could regress into their old ways, and being further discouraged, would end up worse than before.