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Gospel Reading for January 26, 2026 – Mark 3: 22-30
NOTHING AND NO ONE
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.”
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Jesus’ encounter with the scribes in today’s reading reflects an experience many of us face in life. When we succeed in our endeavors or excel in what we do, there will always be people who attempt to diminish or discredit our achievements. Such behavior often springs from jealousy or from a need to defend themselves against their own feelings of inadequacy.
This sense of inadequacy became evident in the scribes’ interpretation of the Law of Moses when Jesus began his ministry. Jesus consistently and powerfully cast out demons from those who were possessed—something the scribes themselves were never able to do. It is therefore not surprising that, in their frustration, they resorted to the absurd accusation that Jesus was using satanic power to drive out demons.
Jesus, however, did not allow their words to distract or discourage him. He remained focused on the mission entrusted to him by the Father. This reminds us how essential it is to discern whether what we are doing aligns with God’s will. When we are certain that our actions flow from God’s purpose, NOTHING AND NO ONE CAN STOP US.
Lord Jesus, may we always strive to be temples of the Holy Spirit, so that no evil may dwell within us.
