Chúa Giêsu nói với chúng ta trong Tin Mừng hôm nay, "Ai không đi với tôi thì là kẻ ấy là người chống lại tôi, và ai không cùng tôi thu góp là phân tán." Chúa Giêsu có thể đã bổ sung vào lời giải thích: "Kẻ nào không giúp ta vác thập giá, thì kẻ ấy đã thực sự làm cho thập giá đó nặng nề hơn; còn kẻ nào không đi với ta, nói chuyện với ta, làm việc với ta, và sống với ta, thì kẻ ấy chắc chắn đang theo một ai đó khác không phải là ta. "
Jesus tells us in today's Gospel, "He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters." Jesus might have added in explanation: "He who does not help me carry the cross, actually makes it heavier; he who does not walk with me and talk with me and work with me and live with me, he surely is following someone else not me."
Are we for Christ or against Christ? Perhaps we can easily find out by asking ourselves: "Am I helping Christ to carry his cross?" Am I denying myself to be of help to others when they are in need? Remember Christ gave his life for all of us. Are we willing to carry the cross out of love for the poor, the needy, the lonely? Can we sacrifice a little of our precious time, energy or money so that others may live more decently and more happily? Are we with Christ in our thoughts, words and actions? Is our prayer life such that Christ is often with us and we with him?" Jesus is the way, the only way to eternal happiness. Only if we live with him and die with him, can we be with him in his heavenly kingdom.
“Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.” Luke 11:23
These words are embedded within several powerful teachings of Jesus, but, in many ways, this single sentence can stand alone as an important Christian truth. Specifically, it tells us that we cannot be neutral in our position regarding Jesus and all that He has taught us. This is an important message in the world today.
Today, there seems to be a growing secular value that we might call “neutrality.” We are told by many in the world that we must accept any morality, any lifestyle, any choice that others make. And though it is true that we must always love and accept every person and treat them with the utmost dignity and respect, it is not true that we should be neutral to the choices and secular values that some choose to live and express. Sadly, when we do speak the full truth, especially the many moral truths our Lord has revealed, we are often labeled as judgmental. But this is not the truth.
This quote above from today’s Gospel makes it clear that we cannot remain indifferent to the teachings of our Lord and still remain in His good graces. In fact, Jesus makes it clear that the opposite is true. He says that if we are not with Him, meaning, if we do not accept all that He has revealed, then we are, in fact, against Him. Being neutral on matters of faith and morality is not actually being neutral at all. It’s a choice that some make that has the clear effect of separating them from Jesus.
For example, regarding matters of faith, if someone were to say, “I do not believe in the Eucharist,” then they are, in fact, rejecting God. And though it is not our duty to be their judge, it is our duty to acknowledge that they have expressed a belief contrary to the truth. They are in error, and if they persist in this error, then they do separate themselves from God. That’s what Jesus is saying.
The same is true regarding morality. There are many examples in the moral life that are becoming more and more blatant in their opposition to our Lord’s teaching. Thus, we must remind ourselves that when we reject a moral teaching given to us by our Lord, we reject Jesus Himself.
Jesus goes even further when He says that “whoever does not gather with me scatters.” In other words, it’s not enough to simply personally believe all that Jesus taught, we must also teach it to others. If we do not and if we, instead, offer a false form of “acceptance” of another’s error, then we are actually working against Jesus. We all have a moral duty to actively promote the truths of the Gospel given to us by our Lord.
Reflect, today, upon how fully you are “with” our Lord and “gather” with Him. Do you fully accept all that He has taught and also seek to gather many others for the Kingdom of God? If you do not see yourself actively believing in and participating in the mission of our Lord, then heed these words of Jesus and allow them to gently but firmly challenge you, so that you will more fully work to build up God’s Kingdom in your own heart and in the world all around you.
My glorious King, You desire to build up Your Kingdom in my life and, through me, in the lives of others. Give me the grace and courage I need to fully accept all that You have taught me and to actively become an instrument of Your grace and truth in the world. May I be with You in all things, dear Lord, and gather many into Your loving arms of grace. Jesus, I trust in You.
1. The Finger and Reign of God: As Jesus journeys to Jerusalem with his disciples, he faces increasing opposition and rejection. In today’s Gospel, two objections are raised. On the one hand, some people begin to say that Jesus is in league with the devil and using demonic power to cast out demons. On the other, some people want to test or tempt Jesus and demand he perform a sign from heaven. Jesus answers the first objection in today’s Gospel (Luke 11:17-26). We will hear his response to the second objection on Monday (Luke 11:29-32). Today, Jesus simply points out that the logic of the first objection is unsound. Why would the devil, called here “Beelzebul,” try to destroy his own kingdom? Jesus is not exorcizing demons because he belongs to the kingdom of the devil. No, he is working with God, acts by the power of God, and is establishing the reign of God here on earth! Jesus refers to the “finger of God,” and, in so doing, recalls the works of Moses and Aaron before the Exodus of the people from Egypt (Exodus 8:15). In like manner, Jesus is performing mighty works and signs “by the finger of God” before his own Exodus in Jerusalem (Luke 9:31).
Opening Prayer: I come to you today, Lord, to bless you for your infinite kindness. I thank you for your generous and constant outpouring of grace. I want to know you better and to know myself better because of this time of prayer. Teach me, Lord, to hear your voice, to heed your voice, and to echo your voice in all my thoughts, words, and actions throughout the day.
Demons Are Real: In modern times, many so-called biblical scholars have often tried to reinterpret Gospel passages like the one the Church offers us today. It is so obvious from these passages that the devil and demons, the fallen angels who rebelled against God, are real and active in this world. And yet, that simple fact seems to make some modern and postmodern thinkers very uncomfortable. Therefore, they say that in ancient times people were just ignorant, so they superstitiously attributed merely psychological and physical ailments to demonic intervention. Of course, this line of reasoning wildly distorts the actual Gospel texts, which clearly distinguish between illness and demonic possession. Jesus is clear: Demons exist, and they are actively working against the truth, goodness, and beauty through which God draws us into intimate communion with himself. As the Catechism (414) puts it: “Satan or the devil and the other demons are fallen angels who have freely refused to serve God and his plan. Their choice against God is definitive. They try to associate man in their revolt against God.” As inconvenient or uncomfortable as this revealed doctrine may be, it is true nonetheless. And if we forget it, ignore it, or deny it, we will only increase the confusion and frustration that naturally accompany our journey through this fallen world.
Avoiding Exaggerations: Of course, it is possible to go to the other extreme as well, attributing every human foible, dysfunction, and challenge to direct demonic activity. This too is a dangerous deviation from the truth. Jesus clearly indicates in this passage that he is the Lord of life and history, and he has put limits on the devil’s attempted dominance over human affairs. To return to the Catechism (395): “The power of Satan is, nonetheless, not infinite. He is only a creature, powerful from the fact that he is pure spirit, but still a creature. He cannot prevent the building up of God's reign. Although Satan may act in the world out of hatred for God and his Kingdom in Christ Jesus, and although his action may cause grave injuries–of a spiritual nature and, indirectly, even of a physical nature–to each man and to society, the action is permitted by divine providence which with strength and gentleness guides human and cosmic history.” Jesus doesn’t want us to ignore demonic activity, but he doesn’t want us to be obsessed with it either. He wants us to recognize him as Lord, and courageously battle at his side for the advance of his Kingdom in our hearts and in the hearts around us. A healthy Christian is a balanced and dependable person, just like Christ himself.
In the Gospel reading Jesus contends with the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law who claim that he drives out evil spirits by the power of Beelzebub. Clearly he was not driving out evil spirits by the power of Beelzebub, the chief of the evil spirits: if so, the kingdom of Satan is divided and will fall. And Jesus challenges his detractors: "But suppose I drive out demons by the finger of God, would not this mean that the kingdom of God has come upon you?" Due to their hardened hearts the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law have refused to see him as coming from God, despite his teaching and his wonderful works.
Today Jesus tells us that "He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters." Jesus might have added in explanation: "He who does not help me carry the cross, actually makes it heavier; he who does not walk with me and talk with me and work with me and live with me, he surely is following someone else not me." Are we for Christ or against Him? Perhaps we can easily find out by asking ourselves: "Am I helping Christ to carry his cross?" Am I denying myself to be of help to others when they are in need?
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