If we try to live our faith, we will encounter opposition. This is the main theme of today's readings.
The first reading shows Satan as the main opponent of God from the beginning and describes the negative consequences of original sin. More than curses, what God speaks are prophecies, announcing how sin will affect humanity throughout history.
In reality, the devil's hatred of humanity speaks volumes about the dignity of the human person. Having lost his own dignity, Satan envies ours. And as the Holy Father has affirmed in his recent document on human dignity (Dignitas Infinita)sin is what most damages our dignity.
But the devil has no power over us if we remain close to Christ. Jesus is the strongest man who has broken into Satan's stronghold and defeated and bound him (Mk 3:27). This is shown in the book of Revelation (Rev 20:1-3), although it also makes it clear that the devil can continue to act, although his time to do so is limited (Rev 12:12). He is like a wounded and dying animal that, because of this, can be even more ferocious.
For this reason, the devil does everything possible to stop the work of evangelization. That is why, in today's Gospel, we see him first of all stirring up Christ's extended family to try to limit his ministry.
How sad it is that a family, even a supposedly Christian family, should oppose the desire of one of its members to surrender to God. And then Satan gets the scribes to claim that Jesus was possessed by an unclean spirit. Truly the devil is a liar and the father of lies (Jn 8:44). It could not be a greater lie. Jesus is the one who has come to overcome and bind Satan, and they claim that he is possessed by the devil! Satan is really the great accuser (Rev 12:10).
The accusation of these scribes is so crude and false that Jesus has to warn them of what he calls blasphemy. "against the Holy Spirit". It is a sin that is obstinacy in sin, a sin that is closed to grace and even to reason. God wants to forgive us, but does not impose his mercy.
Sin against the Spirit resists even divine mercy. Such are the extremes to which human obstinacy can go.
The passage ends with Jesus' insistence on the freedom he needs for his saving mission. He will not allow himself to be trapped by family ties. We must love our families, but be willing to form new ones for the sake of the Kingdom, including those formed by celibate persons.
Homily on the readings of Sunday X in Ordinary Time (B)
The priest Luis Herrera Campo offers its nanomiliaA short one-minute reflection for these Sunday readings.
