Daily Catholic Lectio
Mon, 27 January ‘25
Third Week in Ordinary Time – Monday
Hebrews 9:15, 24-28; Psalm 28; Mark 3:22-30
Evil Spirit vs. Holy Spirit
“The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the child to be born will be holy; he will be called the Son of God.” With this proclamation by the angel, Jesus was conceived in Mary’s womb.
In today’s Gospel reading, the scribes accuse Jesus, saying, “He is possessed by Beelzebul… He drives out demons by the power of demons … He is possessed.” The name ‘Beelzebul’ refers to the pagan god ‘Baal Zebub,’ who was ‘branded’ as a demonic figure. Throughout human history, labelling the gods of other religions as devils or branding individuals from different communities as evil has been a common trend.
No further words are needed to accuse or belittle others than calling them demons or devils.
When faced with accusations, Jesus does not react to the accusers by declaring, “No! I am born of the Holy Spirit.” Instead, He invites them to reflect for themselves. Through vivid metaphors like “a house divided” and “a plundered house,” He calls them to self-examination.
The Jewish religion of Jesus’ time was like a house on the verge of collapse, focused on rituals and riddled with distortions. “A plundered house” symbolized Palestine under Roman rule, where social, economic, political, and cultural life had been destabilized.
Through His words, Jesus sparks a revolution: “While your religion crumbles like a broken house and your city stands as a looted house, you hurl accusations at Me!”
Moreover, Jesus asserts His superiority over evil spirits, declaring that His power surpasses theirs. To clarify that He is not under the influence of an evil spirit but filled with the Holy Spirit, He solemnly states, “Whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven.”
In the First Reading, Jesus is referred to as the “Mediator of the New Covenant.” Unlike the high priests, who remained distant from the altar and sacrifices, Jesus bridged the gap by offering Himself as the sacrifice. He never saw Himself as a mere offering but as the one who willingly gave His life.
Lessons for us:
(a) Self-definition amid challenges: Even if the world labels us as mere sacrifices or stigmatizes us as evil, we must determine our identity. Like Jesus, we must strive to keep our lives under our own control, regardless of circumstances.
(b) A change in perspective: When others excel or perform better than us, we should not hastily label them as evil. If such thoughts arise within us, it is wise to correct them. Let us strive to make the competitors as or collaborators.
(c) Internal strength against division: Jesus teaches that “a house divided against itself cannot stand.” Our downfall does not originate externally but from within. Therefore, we must remain vigilant.
Fr. Yesu Karunanidhi
Archdiocese of Madurai
Missionary of Mercy
Yesu Karunanidhi 
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