Spiritual Kinship with God and Others

06-09-2024Weekly ReflectionFr. Bing Colasito

Scribes who came from Jerusalem must have heard the power of Jesus. What they heard was true; Jesus had power over demons, but instead of ascribing this power to God, they accused Him of acting in the name of Beelzebul, the prince of demons. In the same scene, the crowds criticized Him for being out of His mind or beside Himself because He failed to nourish Himself properly. Sometimes, the ministry could be the most unrewarding service; there will always be people up to the guns of criticizing, judging, and misunderstanding our intentions, methods, and actions. In ministry, most of the time, there is no such thing as a winwin situation: whatever work, service, or ministry.

In the case of Jesus, aside from the crowds who criticized Him, he had to deal also with His kins and even friends. The absurdity of their accusation against Jesus of being the prince of the Demons required a perfect reply from the Lord to prove that their allegations make no sense. How can Satan cast out Satan? If a kingdom is divided in itself, that kingdom will not stand. So that, if Jesus overcomes Satan, it should be absurd that He belongs to his dominion. The only explanation would be that Jesus is more powerful than Satan.

Do not be influenced or enslaved by the measures and standards of the world. Please do not allow harmful and toxic influences to affect our better disposition of kindness, goodness, truth, mercy, and compassion. There is a saying: If you involve yourselves in a rat race, you will end up living like a rat, full of insecurities, useless, vain, and empty inside. Instead of living up to the standards of the world, live up to the standards of God, and fulfillment happens. Remember that life is not about us but about God. Our measure is not what others say but what God says about us.

A parishioner once asked me about the unpardonable sins I am sure that many Catholics are troubled by this passage that Jesus said: Whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never have forgiveness, but is guilty of everlasting sin. People worry because of their uncertainty of being guilty of committing unforgivable sins. Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is to speak or act in a contemptuous, insulting, or hateful way towards God. Since the sin involves rejection of the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit is the agent of forgiveness, the act becomes unforgivable. In the first post resurrection appearance of Jesus to the Apostles, He breathed on them and said to them, receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven, and whose sins you retain are retained. (Jn. 20:2223)

To refuse to accept the power of Jesus as coming from the Father is closing ourselves from the MERCY of God. The refusal is a sin against the Holy Spirit, which the scribes and their party have openly committed, all because they envy Him of His power to exorcize unclean spirits. God can forgive all our sins, but only if man cooperates freely to the grace of His mercy. The Father sent His only begotten Son as the sole Savior. To reject Jesus is to reject reconciliation with the one who sent Him and to admit not belonging to God's family. Beyond blood relationship, Jesus introduces spiritual kinship those who do the WILL of the one who sent Him.

Lord, help us to believe by living our lives doing your holy will.