The Gospel for Thursday of the second week of Lent is taken from Luke 11, 23rd verse Jesus driving out a demon that was mute. And when the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke, and the crowds were amazed. Some of them said, by the power of Beelzebul, the prince of demons, he drives out demons. Others to test him, asked him for a sign from heaven. But he knew their thoughts and said to them, every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste, and house will fall against house. And if Satan is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand for you?

Say that it is by Beelzebub that I drive out demons. If I then drive out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your own people drive them out? Therefore they will be your judges. But if by the finger of God I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. When a strong man, fully armed, guard his palace, his possessions are safe. But when one stronger than he attacks and overcomes him, and he takes away the armor on which he relied and distributes the spoils.

Whoever is not with me is against me. Whoever does not gather with me scatters. Jesus knew that the message that he was giving was difficult. And in this passage he’s speaking to the crowds and all he’s pleading for is one simple thing. I want you to somehow trust me. I want you to join me, not be against me in this work that I have for you, which is to open your hearts and mind to a truth you cannot yet see.

So I love the way it ends when he’s simply saying, if you are with me, then you’re not in any way, shape or form resisting me. Just trust in my words. Trust that they’re true, even though you can’t yet fully understand them. You see that I have power over evil. That is all you need to be with me on we together, me and you, have power over evil. Closing prayer Father, your power is beyond our imagining.

And what we long for is the ability to be a person who is engaged with you in all that you call us to do and to be. We know there is weaknesses within us. We know that we are prone to doing the wrong thing. But if we trust in your power within us, overcoming all those evil dark places that are there, we will find the fullness of light. And we ask this in Jesus name, Amen.