Tuesday, August 30, 2016 22nd Week in Ordinary Time
First Reading: 1 Cor 2: 10b-16 Gospel Reading: Lk 4:31-37
Jesus went down to Capernaum, a town of Galilee, and began teaching the people at the Sabbath meetings. They were astonished at the way he taught them, for his word was spoken with authority.
In the synagogue there was a man possessed by an evil spirit who shouted in a loud voice, “What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I recognize you: you are the Holy One of God.” Then Jesus said to him sharply, “Be silent and leave this man!” The evil spirit then threw the man down in front of them and came out of him without doing him harm.
Amazement seized all these people and they said to one another, “What does this mean? He commands the evil spirits with authority and power. He orders, and you see how they come out!” And news about Jesus spread throughout the surrounding area.
D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE
(Daily Gospel in the
Assimilated Life
Experience)
The evil spirit possessing the man of today’s Gospel reading recognized Jesus as the holy one of God. But this recognition didn’t qualify as valid public confession of Jesus’ identity. The intention, in fact, was to put Jesus under control. The practice then was to name a powerful spirit in order to put it under control.
Jesus showed tremendous power when the evil spirit did not only fail to put him under control but was also evicted. All jaws dropped when at his command the evil spirit was vanished. “He commands the evil spirits with authority and power. He orders, and you see how they come out!” spectators exclaimed. Then they asked: “What does this mean?”
Some are no different from the evil spirit of today’s Gospel reading. They confess God’s name but their motive is not to worship but to control God. The only valid motive in confessing God is love, for God is love. This love is the kind that makes the person submissive to the divine will. One who is not disposed to submit to God’s will confesses God’s name in hypocrisy. He is neither hot nor cold and God will vomit him (Revelations 3:16). A dog may swallow its vomit, but God is no dog. No, don’t read him in reverse!
Under the circumstance of hypocrisy it will be difficult to re-establish relationship with God because hypocrisy kills faith. Faith is integral while hypocrisy is dualistic. Hypocrisy necessarily shatters faith. When faith is dead what meaning could our confession of God’s name give? God will drive us out as he did to the evil spirit. No, that’s too polite a statement. The painful truth is that God will vomit us for being hypocrites! – (Atty.) Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., DM, MMExM, MAPM, REB. Email: [email protected].
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