Memorial of Saint Thomas Aquinas, Priest
and Doctor of the Church
Lectionary: 317
Lectionary: 317
Christ is mediator of a new covenant:
since a death has taken place
for deliverance from transgressions under the first covenant,
those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance.
For Christ did not enter into a sanctuary made by hands,
a copy of the true one, but heaven itself,
that he might now appear before God on our behalf.
Not that he might offer himself repeatedly,
as the high priest enters each year into the sanctuary
with blood that is not his own;
if that were so, he would have had to suffer repeatedly
from the foundation of the world.
But now once for all he has appeared at the end of the ages
to take away sin by his sacrifice.
Just as it is appointed that human beings die once,
and after this the judgment, so also Christ,
offered once to take away the sins of many,
will appear a second time, not to take away sin
but to bring salvation to those who eagerly await him.
since a death has taken place
for deliverance from transgressions under the first covenant,
those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance.
For Christ did not enter into a sanctuary made by hands,
a copy of the true one, but heaven itself,
that he might now appear before God on our behalf.
Not that he might offer himself repeatedly,
as the high priest enters each year into the sanctuary
with blood that is not his own;
if that were so, he would have had to suffer repeatedly
from the foundation of the world.
But now once for all he has appeared at the end of the ages
to take away sin by his sacrifice.
Just as it is appointed that human beings die once,
and after this the judgment, so also Christ,
offered once to take away the sins of many,
will appear a second time, not to take away sin
but to bring salvation to those who eagerly await him.
Responsorial
PsalmPS 98:1, 2-3AB, 3CD-4,
5-6
R. (1a) Sing to
the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous deeds.
Sing to the LORD a new song,
for he has done wondrous deeds;
His right hand has won victory for him,
his holy arm.
R. Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous deeds.
The LORD has made his salvation known:
in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.
He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness
toward the house of Israel.
R. Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous deeds.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation by our God.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;
break into song; sing praise.
R. Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous deeds.
Sing praise to the LORD with the harp,
with the harp and melodious song.
With trumpets and the sound of the horn
sing joyfully before the King, the LORD.
R. Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous deeds.
Sing to the LORD a new song,
for he has done wondrous deeds;
His right hand has won victory for him,
his holy arm.
R. Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous deeds.
The LORD has made his salvation known:
in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.
He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness
toward the house of Israel.
R. Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous deeds.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation by our God.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;
break into song; sing praise.
R. Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous deeds.
Sing praise to the LORD with the harp,
with the harp and melodious song.
With trumpets and the sound of the horn
sing joyfully before the King, the LORD.
R. Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous deeds.
Reading 2SEE 2 TM 1:10
R. Alleluia,
alleluia.
Our Savior Jesus Christ has destroyed death
and brought life to light through the Gospel.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Our Savior Jesus Christ has destroyed death
and brought life to light through the Gospel.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelMK 3:22-30
The scribes who had come from Jerusalem said of Jesus,
"He is possessed by Beelzebul," and
"By the prince of demons he drives out demons."
Summoning them, he began to speak to them in parables,
"How can Satan drive out Satan?
If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.
And if a house is divided against itself,
that house will not be able to stand.
And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided,
he cannot stand;
that is the end of him.
But no one can enter a strong man's house to plunder his property
unless he first ties up the strong man.
Then he can plunder his house.
Amen, I say to you, all sins and all blasphemies
that people utter will be forgiven them.
But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit
will never have forgiveness,
but is guilty of an everlasting sin."
For they had said, "He has an unclean spirit."
"He is possessed by Beelzebul," and
"By the prince of demons he drives out demons."
Summoning them, he began to speak to them in parables,
"How can Satan drive out Satan?
If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.
And if a house is divided against itself,
that house will not be able to stand.
And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided,
he cannot stand;
that is the end of him.
But no one can enter a strong man's house to plunder his property
unless he first ties up the strong man.
Then he can plunder his house.
Amen, I say to you, all sins and all blasphemies
that people utter will be forgiven them.
But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit
will never have forgiveness,
but is guilty of an everlasting sin."
For they had said, "He has an unclean spirit."
For the readings of the Memorial of Saint Thomas Aquinas, please go here.
Meditation:
Jesus frees us from Satan's power
When
danger lurks what kind of protection do you seek? Jesus came to
free us from the greatest danger of all - the corrupting force of evil which
destroys us from within and makes us slaves to sin and Satan (John 8:34). Evil
is not an impersonal force that just happens. It has a name and a face and it
seeks to master every heart and soul on the face of the earth (1 Peter 5:8-9).
Scripture identifies the Evil One by many names, 'Satan', 'Beelzebul - the
prince of demons', the 'Devil', the 'Deceiver', the 'Father of Lies', and
'Lucifier', the fallen angel who broke rank with God and established his own
army and kingdom in opposition to God.
The
Lord Jesus frees us from Satan's power
Jesus declared that he came to overthrow the power of Satan and his kingdom (John 12:31). Jesus' numerous exorcisms brought freedom to many who were troubled and oppressed by the work of evil spirits. Jesus himself encountered personal opposition and battle with Satan when he was put to the test in the wilderness just before his public ministry (Matthew 4:1; Luke 4:1). He overcame the Evil One through his obedience to the will of his Father.
Jesus declared that he came to overthrow the power of Satan and his kingdom (John 12:31). Jesus' numerous exorcisms brought freedom to many who were troubled and oppressed by the work of evil spirits. Jesus himself encountered personal opposition and battle with Satan when he was put to the test in the wilderness just before his public ministry (Matthew 4:1; Luke 4:1). He overcame the Evil One through his obedience to the will of his Father.
Some
of the Jewish leaders reacted vehemently to Jesus' healings and exorcisms and
they opposed him with malicious slander. How could Jesus get the power and
authority to release individuals from Satan's influence and control? They
assumed that he had to be in league with Satan. They attributed his power to
Satan rather than to God. Jesus asserts that no kingdom divided against itself
can survive for long. We have witnessed enough civil wars in our own time to
prove the destructive force at work here for the annihilation of whole peoples
and their land. If Satan lends his power against his own forces then he is
finished. Cyril of Alexandria, a 5th century church father explains the force
of Jesus' argument:
Kingdoms
are established by the fidelity of subjects and the obedience of those under
the royal scepter. Houses are established when those who belong to them in no
way whatsoever thwart one another but, on the contrary, agree in will and deed.
I suppose it would establish the kingdom too of Beelzebub, had he determined to
abstain from everything contrary to himself. How then does Satan cast out
Satan? It follows then that devils do not depart from people on their own
accord but retire unwillingly. “Satan,” he says, “does not fight with himself.”
He does not rebuke his own servants. He does not permit himself to injure his own
armor bearers. On the contrary, he helps his kingdom. “It remains for you to
understand that I crush Satan by divine power.” [Commentary on Luke, Homily 80]
Jesus
asserted his authority to cast out demons as a clear demonstration of the reign
of God. God's power is clearly at work in the exorcisms which Jesus performed
and they give evidence that God's kingdom has come.
Being
clothed in God's strength
What kind of spiritual danger or harm should we avoid at all costs? Jesus used the illustration of a strong man whose house and possessions were kept secure. How could such a person be overtaken and robbed of his goods except by someone who is stronger than himself? Satan, who is our foe and the arch-enemy of God, is stronger than us. Unless we are clothed in God's strength, we cannot withstand Satan with our own human strength. What does Satan wish to take from us - our faith and confidence in God and our readiness to follow God's commandments. Satan is a rebel and a liar. Satan can only have power or dominion over us if we listen to his lies and succumb to his will which is contrary to the will of God. Jesus makes it clear that there are no neutral parties in this world. We are either for Jesus or against him, for the kingdom of God or opposed to it.
What kind of spiritual danger or harm should we avoid at all costs? Jesus used the illustration of a strong man whose house and possessions were kept secure. How could such a person be overtaken and robbed of his goods except by someone who is stronger than himself? Satan, who is our foe and the arch-enemy of God, is stronger than us. Unless we are clothed in God's strength, we cannot withstand Satan with our own human strength. What does Satan wish to take from us - our faith and confidence in God and our readiness to follow God's commandments. Satan is a rebel and a liar. Satan can only have power or dominion over us if we listen to his lies and succumb to his will which is contrary to the will of God. Jesus makes it clear that there are no neutral parties in this world. We are either for Jesus or against him, for the kingdom of God or opposed to it.
There
are ultimately only two kingdoms in opposition to one another - the kingdom of
God's light and truth and the kingdom of darkness and deception under the rule
of Satan. If we disobey God's word, we open the door to the power of sin and
Satan's influence in our lives. If we want to live in true freedom from the
power of sin and Satan, then our "house" - our mind and heart and
whatever we allow to control our appetites and desires - must be occupied and
ruled by Jesus Christ where he is enthroned as Lord and Savior. Do you know the
peace and security of a life submitted to God and to his Word?
Blasphemy
against the Holy Spirit
What is the unforgivable sin which Jesus warns us to avoid? Jesus knows that his disciples will be tested and he assures them that the Holy Spirit will give them whatever grace and help they need in their time of adversity. He warns them, however, that it's possible to spurn the grace of God and to fall into apostasy (giving up the faith) out of cowardice or disbelief. Why is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit reprehensible? Blasphemy consists in uttering against God, inwardly or outwardly, words of hatred, reproach, or defiance. It's contrary to the respect due God and his holy name. Jesus speaks of blaspheming against the Holy Spirit as the unforgivable sin.
What is the unforgivable sin which Jesus warns us to avoid? Jesus knows that his disciples will be tested and he assures them that the Holy Spirit will give them whatever grace and help they need in their time of adversity. He warns them, however, that it's possible to spurn the grace of God and to fall into apostasy (giving up the faith) out of cowardice or disbelief. Why is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit reprehensible? Blasphemy consists in uttering against God, inwardly or outwardly, words of hatred, reproach, or defiance. It's contrary to the respect due God and his holy name. Jesus speaks of blaspheming against the Holy Spirit as the unforgivable sin.
Jesus
spoke about this sin immediately after the scribes and Pharisees had attributed
his miracles to the work of the devil instead of to God. A sin can only be
unforgivable if repentance is impossible. If people repeatedly closes their
eyes to God, shuts their ears to his voice, and reject his word, they bring
themselves to a point where they can no longer recognize God when he can be
seen and heard. They become spiritually blind-sighted and speak of "evil
as good and good as evil" (Isaiah 5:20).
The
Holy Spirit heals and transforms us
To fear such a state of sin and spiritual blindness, however, signals that one is not dead to God and is conscious of the need for God's grace, mercy, and help. There are no limits to the mercy of God, but anyone who refuses to acknowledge and confess their sins and to ask God for forgiveness, spurns God's generous offer of mercy, pardon, grace, and healing. Through their own stubborn pride and willfulness, they reject God, refuse his grace and help to turn away from sin, and reject the transforming power of the Holy Spirit to heal and restore them to wholeness. God always gives sufficient grace and help to all who humbly call upon him. Giving up on God and refusing to turn away from sin and disbelief results from pride and the loss of hope in God.
To fear such a state of sin and spiritual blindness, however, signals that one is not dead to God and is conscious of the need for God's grace, mercy, and help. There are no limits to the mercy of God, but anyone who refuses to acknowledge and confess their sins and to ask God for forgiveness, spurns God's generous offer of mercy, pardon, grace, and healing. Through their own stubborn pride and willfulness, they reject God, refuse his grace and help to turn away from sin, and reject the transforming power of the Holy Spirit to heal and restore them to wholeness. God always gives sufficient grace and help to all who humbly call upon him. Giving up on God and refusing to turn away from sin and disbelief results from pride and the loss of hope in God.
What
is the basis of our hope and confidence in God? Through Jesus' death on the
cross and his victory over the grave when he rose again on the third day, Satan
has been defeated and death has been overcome. We now share in Christ's victory
over sin and Satan and receive adoption as God's sons and daughters. Through
the gift of the Holy Spirit, the Lord enables us to live a new life of love and
freedom from slavery to sin. The Lord Jesus is our refuge and strength because
he makes his home with us (John 15:4) and gives us the power and help of the
Holy Spirit. Do you take refuge in the Lord and allow him to be the Ruler of
your life?
"Lord
Jesus, you are my hope and salvation. Be the ruler of my heart and the master
of my home. May there be nothing in my life that is not under your
lordship."
Daily
Quote from the early church fathers: The cross of Christ as victory, by
Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.
"It
is not difficult, therefore, to see how the devil was conquered when he, who
was slain by him, rose again. But there is something greater and more profound
of comprehension: to see how the devil was conquered precisely when he was
thought to be conquering, namely, when Christ was crucified. For at that moment
the blood of him who had no sin at all, was shed for the remission of our sins
(Matthew 26:28, 1 John 3:5). The devil deservedly held those whom he had bound
by sin to the condition of death. So it happened that One who was guilty of no
sin freed them justly from this condemnation (Hebrews 2:14). The strong man was
conquered by this paradoxical justice and bound by this chain, that his vessels
[booty] might be taken away. Those vessels which had been vessels of wrath were
turned into vessels of mercy (Romans 9:22-23)." (excerpt ON
THE TRINITY 13.15.19)
MONDAY, JANUARY 28, MARK 3:22-30
(Hebrews 9:15, 24-28; Psalm 98)
(Hebrews 9:15, 24-28; Psalm 98)
KEY VERSE: "If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand" (v 24).
TO KNOW: When Jesus returned to Capernaum, large crowds gathered, which made it impossible for him and his disciples to take time to eat. Some of Jesus' relatives believed that he had taken leave of his senses and could no longer handle his own affairs. Some scribes from Jerusalem charged him with performing exorcisms by the power of "Beelzebul" (the pagan god Baal of Syria). Jesus described the folly of a divided kingdom. If a nation was torn by civil war, it could not stand. Neither could a family withstand internal strife. Similarly, if Satan worked against himself, his domain would eventually collapse. Jesus was the "strong man" (v 27) who plundered Satan's household. Satan's defenses had been breached, and one mightier that he had arrived. The conquest of Satan had begun. Anyone who declared that Jesus was in league with the king of the demons was guilty of blaspheming the Holy Spirit who was at work in Jesus.
TO LOVE: Am I a source of unity or discord in my family?
TO SERVE: Lord Jesus, reconcile any divisions in my life
Memorial of Saint Thomas Aquinas, priest and doctor of the
Church
Thomas Aquinas was born in the family castle in Lombardy near Naples. He joined the mendicant Dominican friars in 1244 (a religious order that practiced poverty, travelling for purposes of preaching, evangelization, and ministry, especially to the poor). He studied in Paris from 1245-1248 under Saint Albert the Great and was ordained in 1250 and taught theology at University of Paris. Thomas obtained his doctorate, and taught in several Italian cities. He was recalled to Naples in 1272 where he was appointed regent of studies while working on his Summa Theologica. On December 6, 1273 he experienced a divine revelation that so enraptured him that he abandoned the Summa saying that his writings were so much straw in the wind compared to the reality of the divine glory. He died four months later while en route to the Council of Lyons. His works have been seminal to the thinking of the Church as they systematized great thoughts and teaching, and combined Greek wisdom and scholarship with the truth of Christianity. Pope Leo VIII commanded that his teachings be studied by all theology students. Thomas Aquinas was proclaimed a Doctor of the Church in 1567.
"Grant me, O Lord my God, a mind to know you, a heart to seek you, wisdom to find you, conduct pleasing to you, faithful perseverance in waiting for you, and a hope of finally embracing you." - Saint Thomas Aquinas
Monday 28 January 2019
St Thomas Aquinas.
Hebrews 9:15, 24-28. Psalm 97(98):1-6. Mark 3:22-30.
Hebrews 9:15, 24-28. Psalm 97(98):1-6. Mark 3:22-30.
Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done
marvellous deeds – Psalm 97(98):1-6.
‘Sing to the Lord a new song.’
One of the greatest challenges of our world is to trust in the
power of forgiveness and to fully understand and believe in the reconciling
love that God offers each one of us.
In the gospel today, Jesus calls together his followers, despite
the fear of ridicule, and speaks to them about their understanding of unity,
and of reconciliation within themselves. Jesus emphasises that it is impossible
to live a life that is fully worthy of God’s reconciling love if we continue to
make condemnatory judgments, to criticise, and to inflict our own ideals on
others.
We need to first forgive ourselves before we can forgive others:
then we will truly experience the presence of God.
Saint Thomas Aquinas
Saint of the Day for January 28
(1225 – March 7, 1274)
 |
| Saint Thomas Aquinas | Carlo Crivelli |
Saint Thomas Aquinas’ Story
By universal consent, Thomas Aquinas is the preeminent spokesman
of the Catholic tradition of reason and of divine revelation. He is one of the
great teachers of the medieval Catholic Church, honored with the titles Doctor
of the Church and Angelic Doctor.
At five he was given to the Benedictine monastery at Monte
Cassino in his parents’ hopes that he would choose that way of life and
eventually became abbot. In 1239, he was sent to Naples to complete his
studies. It was here that he was first attracted to Aristotle’s philosophy.
By 1243, Thomas abandoned his family’s plans for him and joined
the Dominicans, much to his mother’s dismay. On her order, Thomas was captured
by his brother and kept at home for over a year.
Once free, he went to Paris and then to Cologne, where he finished
his studies with Albert the Great. He held two professorships at Paris, lived
at the court of Pope Urban IV, directed the Dominican schools at Rome and
Viterbo, combated adversaries of the mendicants, as well as the Averroists, and
argued with some Franciscans about Aristotelianism.
His greatest contribution to the Catholic Church is his
writings. The unity, harmony, and continuity of faith and reason, of revealed
and natural human knowledge, pervades his writings. One might expect Thomas, as
a man of the gospel, to be an ardent defender of revealed truth. But he was
broad enough, deep enough, to see the whole natural order as coming from God
the Creator, and to see reason as a divine gift to be highly cherished.
The Summa Theologiae, his last and, unfortunately,
uncompleted work, deals with the whole of Catholic theology. He stopped work on
it after celebrating Mass on December 6, 1273. When asked why he stopped
writing, he replied, “I cannot go on…. All that I have written seems to me like
so much straw compared to what I have seen and what has been revealed to me.”
He died March 7, 1274.
Reflection
We can look to Thomas Aquinas as a towering example of
Catholicism in the sense of broadness, universality, and inclusiveness. We
should be determined anew to exercise the divine gift of reason in us, our power
to know, learn, and understand. At the same time we should thank God for the
gift of his revelation, especially in Jesus Christ.
Saint Thomas Aquinas is the Patron Saint of:
Catholic Schools
Colleges
Schools
Students
Colleges
Schools
Students
LECTIO DIVINA: MARK 3:22-30
Lectio Divina:
Monday, January 28, 2019
Ordinary Time
1) Opening prayer
All-powerful and ever-living God,
direct Your love that is within us,
that our efforts in the name of Your Son
may bring the human race to unity and peace.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit,
One God, for ever and ever. Amen.
direct Your love that is within us,
that our efforts in the name of Your Son
may bring the human race to unity and peace.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit,
One God, for ever and ever. Amen.
2) Gospel Reading - Mark 3:22-30
The scribes who had come from Jerusalem said of Jesus, "He
is possessed by Beelzebul," and "By the prince of demons he drives
out demons." Summoning them, he began to speak to them in parables,
"How can Satan drive out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself,
that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house
will not be able to stand. And if Satan has risen up against himself and is
divided, he cannot stand; that is the end of him. But no one can enter a strong
man's house to plunder his property unless he first ties up the strong man.
Then he can plunder his house. Amen, I say to you, all sins and all blasphemies
that people utter will be forgiven them. But whoever blasphemes against the
Holy Spirit will never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an everlasting
sin." For they had said, "He has an unclean spirit."
3) Reflection
• The conflict grows. In the Gospel of Mark there
is a progressive sequence. By the measure in which the Good News advances and
people accept it, in the same measure it grows resistance on the part of the
religious authority. The conflict began to grow and to influence all groups of
people. For example, the relatives of Jesus thought that He was out of His
mind. (Mk 3:20-21), and the scribes who had come from Jerusalem thought that He
was possessed, that Beelzebul was in Him (Mk 3:22).
• The conflict with authority. The scribes slandered against Him. They said that Beelzebul was in Him and that it was through the prince of devils that He drove out the devils. They had come from Jerusalem, about 120 kilometers away, to keep an eye on Jesus’ behavior. They wanted to defend tradition against the new ideas that Jesus taught to the people (Mk 7:1). They thought that His teaching was against good doctrine. The response given by Jesus had three parts.
- First Part: The comparison with a divided family. Jesus uses the comparison of the divided family and the divided kingdom to denounce the absurdity of the slander. To say that Jesus casts out or drives out the devils with the help of the prince of the devils is to deny what is evident. It is like saying that water is dry, and that the sun is darkness. The doctors of Jerusalem slandered because they did not know how to explain the benefits worked by Jesus on behalf of the people. They were afraid to lose their power.
- Second Part: The comparison of the strong man. Jesus compares the devil to a strong man. Nobody, unless he is a strong person, will be able to take away the house from a strong man to rob it. Jesus is the strongest of all. And this is why He succeeds in entering the house and in dominating and overcoming the strong man. He succeeds in driving out the devils. Jesus wins over the strong man and robs his house. He liberates the people who were under the power of the evil one. The Prophet Isaiah had already used the same comparison to describe the coming of the Messiah (Is 49:24-25). Luke adds that the expulsion of the devil is the evidence of the coming of the Kingdom (Lk 11:20).
- Third part: The sin against the Holy Spirit. All sins are forgiven, except the sin against the Holy Spirit. Which is the sin against the Holy Spirit? It is to say, “The spirit which impels Jesus to cast out or drive out the devil, comes precisely from the devil!” The one who speaks in this way is incapable of receiving pardon. Why? Can the one who covers his eyes guess? He cannot! The one who closes his mouth, can he eat? He cannot. The one who does not close the umbrella of slander, can he receive the rain of pardon? He cannot! Pardon would pass by his side but would not reach him. It is not that God does not want to forgive. God always wants to forgive. But it is the sinner who refuses to receive pardon!
• The conflict with authority. The scribes slandered against Him. They said that Beelzebul was in Him and that it was through the prince of devils that He drove out the devils. They had come from Jerusalem, about 120 kilometers away, to keep an eye on Jesus’ behavior. They wanted to defend tradition against the new ideas that Jesus taught to the people (Mk 7:1). They thought that His teaching was against good doctrine. The response given by Jesus had three parts.
- First Part: The comparison with a divided family. Jesus uses the comparison of the divided family and the divided kingdom to denounce the absurdity of the slander. To say that Jesus casts out or drives out the devils with the help of the prince of the devils is to deny what is evident. It is like saying that water is dry, and that the sun is darkness. The doctors of Jerusalem slandered because they did not know how to explain the benefits worked by Jesus on behalf of the people. They were afraid to lose their power.
- Second Part: The comparison of the strong man. Jesus compares the devil to a strong man. Nobody, unless he is a strong person, will be able to take away the house from a strong man to rob it. Jesus is the strongest of all. And this is why He succeeds in entering the house and in dominating and overcoming the strong man. He succeeds in driving out the devils. Jesus wins over the strong man and robs his house. He liberates the people who were under the power of the evil one. The Prophet Isaiah had already used the same comparison to describe the coming of the Messiah (Is 49:24-25). Luke adds that the expulsion of the devil is the evidence of the coming of the Kingdom (Lk 11:20).
- Third part: The sin against the Holy Spirit. All sins are forgiven, except the sin against the Holy Spirit. Which is the sin against the Holy Spirit? It is to say, “The spirit which impels Jesus to cast out or drive out the devil, comes precisely from the devil!” The one who speaks in this way is incapable of receiving pardon. Why? Can the one who covers his eyes guess? He cannot! The one who closes his mouth, can he eat? He cannot. The one who does not close the umbrella of slander, can he receive the rain of pardon? He cannot! Pardon would pass by his side but would not reach him. It is not that God does not want to forgive. God always wants to forgive. But it is the sinner who refuses to receive pardon!
4) Personal questions
• The religious authorities close themselves up
in themselves and deny the evidence. Has this ever happened to me, that I close
myself off before the evidence or facts?
• Slander is the arm or weapon of the weak. Have you experienced this?
• Slander is the arm or weapon of the weak. Have you experienced this?
5) Concluding prayer
The whole wide world has seen the saving power of our God.
Acclaim Yahweh, all the earth,
burst into shouts of joy! (Ps 98:3-4)
Acclaim Yahweh, all the earth,
burst into shouts of joy! (Ps 98:3-4)
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