Brothers and sisters, our readings today are sober and serious, using three powerful W-words to call us to a deeper spiritual life: Warning,...
Brothers and sisters, our readings today are sober and serious, using three powerful W-words to call us to a deeper spiritual life: Warning, Warfare, and Watchfulness.
The Prophet Joel gives us a stark warning. He describes the "Day of the Lord" as a time of alarm, gloom, and darkness, urging the priests to mourn and the people to tremble. This warning is not meant to paralyze us with fear, but to stir us to action. It’s a spiritual wake-up call, reminding us that time is short and our focus must be on eternity. We must, therefore, live each day as if it were the Day of the Lord.
The Gospel reveals the nature of the warfare we are engaged in. Jesus, accused of casting out demons by the power of Beelzebul, reminds the crowd that an internal kingdom cannot stand. He declares that the real spiritual battle is a fight against the strongman—Satan and evil itself—a fight which He, as "one stronger," is winning. Every temptation we overcome, every act of love we perform, is an act of spiritual warfare. We are soldiers of Christ, armed with prayer and grace.
Finally, Jesus gives us the key to victory in this warfare: watchfulness. He warns that when an evil spirit is cast out, if the house is not kept clean—if we don't fill the void with God's word, prayer, and good deeds—the spirit will return with others, making the last state worse than the first. Our spiritual life cannot stand still; we must be actively vigilant, maintaining watchfulness over our hearts and minds.
Let us heed the Prophet's warning, engage bravely in spiritual warfare, and keep a constant watchfulness over our souls, that when the Lord comes, He finds our house clean and in order. Amen.
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