Daily Catholic Lectio
Fri, 10 Oct ‘25
Twenty-Seventh Week in Ordinary Time, Friday
Joel 1:13–15; 2:1–12. Luke 11:15–26
Conquer Evil by the Good
In today’s Gospel, Jesus faces accusation, rejection, and misunderstanding. Even when He casts out demons and heals the sick, some people refuse to see the goodness before them. Instead, they accuse Him of using the power of Beelzebul — the prince of demons. What a strange and painful accusation! The one who brings healing is called a destroyer; the one who brings peace is said to cause division.
This tension lies at the heart of today’s message: evil cannot be conquered by more evil — it can only be overcome by good.
Jesus begins by exposing the absurdity of His accusers’ argument: “Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste.” If Satan were fighting against Satan, then his own power would collapse. Evil cannot defeat evil; hatred cannot drive out hatred; anger cannot end anger. Only love, mercy, and goodness can bring healing and wholeness.
Then Jesus explains, “If I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the Kingdom of God has come among you.” That “finger of God” reminds us of the Book of Exodus, where God’s power worked through Moses to set His people free. In the same way, Jesus uses divine power — not force, not fear — to liberate those bound by darkness. Wherever goodness acts, God’s Kingdom is already present.
To make His teaching clearer, Jesus gives another image: a strong man guards his house, but when someone stronger comes, he binds him and takes away his weapons. In this image, the “strong man” is Satan — the one who traps lives in fear and sin. But the “stronger one” is Christ, who enters that house, breaks the chains, and sets the captives free.
This is not only a cosmic battle between good and evil “out there.” It is a spiritual struggle within each of us. We all have our inner battlefields — pride, resentment, jealousy, fear, or despair. We cannot conquer these dark forces by using the same weapons — anger, revenge, or hatred. They only deepen the wound. The only way to break evil’s hold is through good: forgiveness, mercy, and steadfast love.
That is why Jesus warns us through another short story. When an evil spirit leaves a person, it wanders and then returns, finding the heart empty and clean — but not filled with goodness. It brings back seven worse spirits, and the last state becomes worse than the first. The message is clear: getting rid of evil is not enough. We must replace it with good. Conversion is not just about avoiding sin but about cultivating virtue. If we empty our hearts of sin but fail to fill them with love, prayer, and good deeds, evil will find its way back in.
So, Jesus calls us to a daily discipline of renewal — to be vigilant and steadfast. Overcoming evil is not a one-time victory; it is a lifelong journey. The temptation to give in, to grow tired, or to justify our wrongs is always near. But the grace of God — the same “finger of God” that worked in Jesus — is at work in us too, enabling us to stand firm and to respond with love even when wronged.
In the first reading, the prophet Joel warns of the coming “Day of the Lord” — a time of judgment and renewal. He calls the people to repentance: “Return to me with all your heart, with fasting, weeping, and mourning.” Yet, even in warning, Joel offers hope: “The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love.” This is the heart of God — not a destroyer but a healer; not one who crushes, but one who rebuilds.
Thus, today’s message comes full circle: Jesus conquers evil not by destroying His enemies but by transforming them; not through condemnation but through compassion. He binds the strong man — Satan — by the power of love, humility, and truth.
So how can we, His followers, conquer evil in our own lives?
(a) Unite with Jesus. “Whoever is not with me is against me,” says the Lord. We cannot fight evil in isolation. Only by remaining rooted in Christ — through prayer, sacraments, and the Word — can we resist the darkness that seeks to divide and destroy.
(b) Replace sin with good. Don’t just avoid evil; do good deliberately. Fill your heart with acts of kindness, truth, generosity, and service. The only sure defense against evil is a heart already full of light.
(c) Respond to hate with love. When faced with anger, respond gently. When wronged, forgive. When hurt, bless. This is not weakness; this is divine strength.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that “Christ’s victory over evil is complete in His death and resurrection” (CCC 385–421). In Him, we see the pattern for our own lives: the cross is conquered not by retaliation but by resurrection — by goodness that cannot be extinguished.
Let us, then, become bearers of that goodness. Let us conquer evil not by fear or force, but by faith and love. Let our lives proclaim that light is stronger than darkness, mercy stronger than sin, and love stronger than death.
Fr. Yesu Karunanidhi
Archdiocese of Madurai
Missionary of Mercy
Yesu Karunanidhi 
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