“THE WORD KEEPS YOU”
Saint Luke 11. 14-28
Oculi - The Third Sunday In Lent: 27 February Anno Domini 2005
Fr Watson
Only by keeping the Word is one invulnerable to demonic attack. Keeping doesn't mean doing, as if you "have to do something." Keeping means holding tightly that which has been placed into your hand. Keeping means guarding the treasure which is yours.
The treasure is the Word of God. Yes, this is, to be sure, the inerrant, inspired, and infallible Hebrew and Greek Scriptures. But the Bible only gives us in writing that which existed before the paper and pen, and that which will exist in heaven where no Bibles will be needed. The Word is He who St. John writes about in the prologue to his Evangel. The Second Person of the Holy Trinity is the Word made Flesh; Immanuel---God with us. The Word is Jesus Christ Himself. Only by keeping Jesus Christ Himself is one blessed. This is done because the Word keeps you.
It not blessed to be born a mute, or to be a mute because of accident or violence. Adam was bom of God with a voice; a beautiful voice in which he named the animals and chanted praises to His Lord. To be silent is a curse. To be a pagan who feels no need or desire to sing the Master's Praises is a curse. If one is not singing and talking to the Trinity, one is hissing and growling a serpentine argot: "snake-slang." The difference is greater than that between the melodies of Bach and the painful noise of rap.
Jesus is the Redeemer; the "buy-backer." He was sent to restore Eden. He came into the prison camp of the world to rip open the barred gates and set the captives free; free from bondage to silence. Jesus gives speech back to the mute. Jesus chases demons away.
Demons stick together. A tree is known by its fruit. Pagans, whether they're first century Pharisees, American agnostics, Indian Hindus, or Kansas City Muslims have a unity of interest---they hate the Gospel and they hate God in the Flesh. Non-believers can do only one thing when it comes to Christ---lie. All unbelief is of Satan. Satan is the high-priest of falsehood and a liar from the beginning. His minions, then, and now, will always blaspheme the Lord: "He casts out demons by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons." How ironic that they would so malign the Prince of Heaven by speaking these words which were given to them to utter by none other than the Prince of Darkness himself. Very rarely do evil people consciously know they are doing and saying evil. Even within the "field of faith," the Church itself, the "tares," weeds, think they are doing right when they attack, back-bite, and wreak havoc.
Jesus the Word defends His actions and ministry by simply speaking the Truth; i.e. speaking Himself. Satan does not destroy Satan. While it is true that there is no "honor among thieves," and that "bad" people will be bad to other "bad" people as easily as they will prey on "good" people. God tells you emphatically that the kingdom of Satan does not, and can not, destroy itself. That proposition says Jesus is self-contradictory. Evil can not become good. The devil who delights in tormenting, enslaving and making men mute cannot and does not liberate and restore. Only the Word heals.
Don't be cavalier or lackadaisical. The devil says Jesus is a "strong man." You by yourself will be quickly overpowered; not so much by his superior strength but by his guile and cunning. Remember you are lambs, the devil and his demons are snakes, wolves, dangerous predators. But Jesus is your Shepherd. Jesus is stronger than the so-called "strong man." Jesus beats the devil to death with His shepherd's crook. His staff of life, which is His Holy and bloody red cross. That's where He is the Word. That's where your healing, forgiving and life come from. The Word of Life is on that big ugly tree, bleeding and dying. The Word of Life is Jesus' Flesh and Blood, given and shed for you. The Word comes directly to you today, collected by the angels in heavenly chalices and deposited in His Church to be given to you in His Words, in His Washings, in His Eucharistic Meals.
Note well that Jesus does not disagree with the unnamed voice in the crowd; He simply states a more important foundational truth. Yes, the womb of the Blessed Virgin was blessed, blessed beyond any other tabernacle for it contained God for nine months. And yes, the breasts of our "Mother in the Faith" are likewise blessed for eternity for they gave nourishment to our growing and developing Savior. But even more important says Jesus is the one who hears the Word of God and keeps it.
When Jesus says "hear and keep" He means more than listening and acknowledging the words were in fact spoken; even the demons know that Jesus preaches; even the demons know that Jesus is Lord in a detached sort of way. The erroneous beliefs of our protestant and reformed friends notwithstanding, the Word is not a stack of principles, propositions and accurate statements. To be in the Word does not mean to be involved with academic instruction. You gather on Sunday mornings not in lecture halls, libraries, labs and auditoriums, but in Temples with altars; altars adorned with the "Pierced One." The Word is not mere information and head knowledge, but rather a dynamic, living, breathing God; a God of flesh and blood. The devil could care less if you believe in "God," for that could mean many things. But it terrifies Him that you believe in Jesus of Nazareth the God/Man. And it sends him scurrying away in agony if you believe in Jesus' Bodily Presence "For You" in Scripture, Absolution, Baptism, and the Holy Communion. To keep the Word is having the Word keep you. Hear Him...He does. You are forgiven all your trespasses by His payment on Calvary. Hear Him...eat and drink once again the Word. Have Peace and Be Blessed.
In the Name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Ghost