Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark 3, 22-30
The scribes who had come from Jerusalem said of Jesus,
“He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and
“By the prince of demons he drives out demons.”
Summoning them, he began to speak to them in parables,
“How can Satan drive out Satan?
If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.
And if a house is divided against itself,
that house will not be able to stand.
And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided,
he cannot stand;
that is the end of him.
But no one can enter a strong man’s house to plunder his property
unless he first ties up the strong man.
Then he can plunder his house.
Amen, I say to you, all sins and all blasphemies
that people utter will be forgiven them.
But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit
will never have forgiveness,
but is guilty of an everlasting sin.”
For they had said, “He has an unclean spirit.”
Division
1. They said. People will always have something to say about us, and sometimes even our relatives will talk. It’s painful, of course, but remember that when someone speaks about you, it reveals more about their character than yours. Those who gossip behind your back rather than addressing you directly are acting cowardly, and those who hide behind voice messages or social media instead of facing you are even worse. I’d even go so far as to call them irresponsible, if not outright disagreeable. No matter how well you act, there will always be those who attack you with harsh words. Let’s act like Jesus: don’t stop to listen to them.
2. Divided. I often say that after parents die, disputes over inheritance tend to erupt within families. Conflicts also frequently arise between mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law. Family arguments are nothing new, but the real problem is when these divisions escalate and undo everything parents have worked to build. While disagreements may occur, what truly matters is the reason behind them or the person instigating trouble. You may know your siblings, but not your in-laws; you might know your children but not their partners; you may know your parents, but sometimes all it takes is an outsider’s influence to change everything. That’s why fostering family unity is an ongoing responsibility that requires daily effort.
3. Blasphemy. Speaking carelessly can have real consequences, but speaking disrespectfully about sacred matters brings sorrow and regret. Rather than criticizing, learn to control your words; it’s easy to say something, but it may be too late to take it back. Practice prudence in what you say and who you say it to, because someone close might use your statements to cause harm to others or even to distort your own image of God within yourself.
Don’t forget that something good is on the way!
God bless you and be with you in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
