Thursday March 11, 2021 - Third week of Lent - Now, says the Lord, return to me with all your heart, for I am tender and merciful - Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 11, 14-23

Casting out a demon is a sign of the fulfillment of Jesus' mission to expand his Father's kingdom and destroy the kingdom of evil. Thus, the fact that Jesus expelled a demon made his contemporaries in awe. But their eyes still closed and their hearts still numb prevented them from recognizing the grace of God through this act. Some even demanded other signs in order to tempt Jesus.

But Jesus knows what is in their hearts. This is why he replied to them: "Every kingdom divided against itself becomes desert, its houses crumble, one on top of the other." The kingdom divided against itself is devastated, for it has no faith in the word of God and in his works. By ignoring the word of God, our eyes become blind and are no longer sensitive to the grace of God, which fills us with wonders at every moment of our life.

So, to recognize the work of God, we must be humble and surrender in Him. Jesus' words are so clear: "He who is not with me is against me; he who does not gather with me scatters". Whoever gathers with Jesus cares about the glory of God and realizes that it unites, while looking after our own glory scatters. The example given by Jesus today confirms this: it is by the power of God that he expels the demon and not by his own strength.