“BLESSED ARE YOU”
Saint Luke 11. 14-28
Oculi-The Third Sunday in Lent: 15 March Anno Domini 2009
Fr Watson SSP
Mighty Samson broke the back of the lion. Brave Shepherd David slew the ravenous wolf when it tried to carry away lambs under his care. So too the Christ of God does battle with the great predator of human flesh. For the third Sunday in a row you witness your Lord in combat with the devil. Jesus the Word caused Satan to retreat after besting him in the wilderness. Satan waits for opportune times to try and "pick off" the weak Christian.
It is truth that not all people with speech impediments are demon possessed. Not all people who wear eye-glasses because of ocular impediments are demon possessed. But before your Lord's triumph upon the tree at Calvary, the serpent who once triumphed over Eve while on the Tree, was still quite adept at wrecking his havoc upon crippled and diseased folk in early 1st century Judea, Samaria and Galilee.
This day the Samson of Nazareth would stretch out His hands to break the back of demon. This was "a" demon and not Satan. The Nazarene was quickly successful and the evil spirit was quickly exorcised and the mute man was mute no more!
Those who hate the Word the God, the pure Word, will always find fault and offense when the simple and direct means of God are effective. Some in the crowd criticized Jesus and cursed Him. These sinful people were not happy that a Man from Galilee would perform such a powerful sign when He Himself was so ordinary and so un-heroic. This is why Father Jesse did not even think to have his seventh son David assemble in front of Samuel for consideration; David was not powerful, imposing, large, loud and glorious. Jesus, the Second David, is also a Shepherd and not a General Patton, Alexander the Great, Superman or Radio talk-show Titan. Perhaps the Pharisees and Scribes would have been content to acknowledge the miracle had the Carpenter's Son been the High Priest's son. Mayhaps Christ would have been hailed a mighty Prophet had He used an elaborate ritual with fire and lightning, smoke and thunder. The Lord healed with a Word-His Word-His touch-His, well, His Body and Blood, in full anticipation of what He would soon do when He would let Himself be nailed to the final wood, the true Tree of Life. Christ's casting out of the demon was as humble as a Baptism with water or as a Eucharist with white wine and round stale bread.
It is a sin to crave miracles of one's own choosing rather than simply receiving the gifts that the Savior sends. Being small, tiny, un-recognized, struggling, impoverished, even sickly, is good and right, if it is the Lord's will and plan. Sin is committed when God is second-guessed and doubted. His Word will do what He desires.
Jesus still casts out devils, and sins of all sorts. The Name of Christ when invoked is Christ Crucified for the forgiveness of sins. And where there is forgiveness there is also life and salvation. Where Christ's Name is worn + and invoked, that is, where the Word is preached purely and Sacraments are rightly administered the demons are routed and sent fleeing. Christ's Church is truly a safe-haven a "no-devil" zone because wherever Jesus is, evil and darkness are banished and repelled.
The Word is not divided and cannot be broken. Scripture cannot be used for contradicting Scripture anymore than One of the Trinity can be used for arguing against the God-Head. Christ says Baal, Satan, cannot divide his own foul kingdom in order to win a victory over the Lord. Only the Stronger Man can conquer and divide the kingdom of the strong man. Satan is the strong man. The Suffering Servant, by His suffering and death, is the Stronger Man-indeed the God/Man. The Savior saves by paying. The Savior saves by giving His life to save your life. It is the ultimate hostage exchange. Jesus lets Himself be captured, bound, ridiculed, blasphemed, tortured and murdered so that you the guilty traitor, you the Barabbas of Kansas, might walk away liberated and free.
Now that Christ has taken the chains off your wrists and emptied the devil's poison from your veins; now that He has blown away all of Satan's lies and deceits out of your minds (by the breath of the Holy Ghost) feast often, eat daily, the Bread of Life. If your belly is filled with New Testament Manna there will be no room in it for satanic-swill of self. If your conscience is consumed in Holy Jesus (His Word, His Life, His Sacrifice) your mind will be too full of Good-Incarnate to be open to erring heresies and wandering spirits of sin. Let the Word dwell in you richly. Come and taste and see that He is good.
Blessed is the Holy Mother of God, the Virgin named Saint Mary of Nazareth, and our beloved and blessed mother-Holy Church.
"Blessed are you who hear the Word of God and keep it."
In the Name of The Father and of + The Son and of The Holy Ghost