(Read St. Luke 11:15-26)
The ministry of Jesus Christ often provoked both wonder and hostility. In this passage, His casting out of demons leads some to an accusation that He does so by the power of Beelzebul, the prince of demons. Others, unwilling to believe, demand yet another sign from heaven. Their blindness is not of the eyes but of the heart. They behold divine power at work before them, yet attribute it to evil. Christ, perceiving their thoughts, exposes the absurdity of their claim—a kingdom divided against itself cannot stand. Evil does not destroy itself. If demons are cast out, then a stronger power must be present — the very power of God. The Lord’s words unveil a spiritual truth of enduring relevance. Every human soul is a battleground of kingdoms. The kingdom of light and the kingdom of darkness contend for mastery within the heart. To yield to sin is to strengthen the adversary; to repent is to invite the reign of God. A divided heart cannot long endure. The person who professes faith yet clings to secret sins, who prays but harbours resentment, who confesses Christ but refuses obedience — such a one builds upon shifting sand. Only a heart wholly surrendered to the Lord can stand firm against the assaults of evil.
When Christ declares, “If I by the finger of God cast out demons, then is the kingdom of God come upon you,” He reveals the immediacy of divine action. The “finger of God” recalls the power that wrote the Law upon stone and performed wonders in Egypt. Now that same power moves in the person of the Incarnate Word. Each deliverance from bondage, whether of body or soul, is a sign that the Kingdom has drawn near. Where Christ reigns, the dominion of evil is broken. The strong man, representing Satan, guards his house until the Stronger One — Jesus Christ — arrives, disarms him, and claims what is His own.
This imagery unfolds a spiritual principle to the Christian life. The human heart, once liberated, must not remain empty. The Lord warns that when an unclean spirit departs, it roams through arid places, seeking rest. Finding none, it returns to its former dwelling, and if the house is found “swept and garnished” but uninhabited, it brings with it seven spirits worse than before. The teaching is severe but mercifully clear—repentance without renewal leaves the soul vulnerable. It is not enough to cast out sin; the heart must be filled with grace.
This renewal is found through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, cultivated by prayer, fasting, confession, and the Holy Mysteries. These are not simply disciplines but divine defences, by which the soul is strengthened to resist temptation and remain steadfast in Christ. When prayer is neglected, when vigilance weakens, when humility gives way to pride, the house stands empty again — inviting the return of what was once cast out.
Christ concludes with a solemn statement … “He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth.” There is no neutrality in the spiritual life. The struggle for the soul demands allegiance. To live half-heartedly, drifting between faith and indifference, is to risk being scattered by the winds of the age. As Christians we must choose daily to be with Christ — in thought, word, and deed — that the light of His Kingdom may prevail within.
The Gospel reading calls every believer to discernment and steadfastness. The Kingdom of God has indeed come among us, not in signs of outward spectacle, but in the quiet triumph of grace over sin. Let every heart, once cleansed, become a dwelling-place of the Spirit—guarded, filled, and alive with the strength of the Stronger One who conquers the darkness and makes His home within.
May God bless you +
Fr. Charles
10 October 2025
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