Gospel Reading for October 10, 2025 – Luke 11: 15-26
DEATH SENTENCE
When Jesus had driven out a demon, some of the crowd said: “By the power of Beelzebul, the prince of demons, he drives out demons.” Others, to test him, asked him for a sign from heaven. But he knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste and house will fall against house. And if Satan is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that it is by Beelzebul that I drive out demons. If I, then, drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your own people drive them out? Therefore they will be your judges. But if it is by the finger of God that I drive out demons, then the Kingdom of God has come upon you. When a strong man fully armed guards his palace, his possessions are safe. But when one stronger than he attacks and overcomes him, he takes away the armor on which he relied and distributes the spoils. Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. “When an unclean spirit goes out of someone, it roams through arid regions searching for rest but, finding none, it says ‘I shall return to my home from which I came.’ But upon returning, it finds it swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and brings back seven other spirits more wicked than itself who move in and dwell there, and the last condition of that man is worse than the first.”
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Definitely, God and Satan cannot occupy the same place. They are opposites: GOOD and EVIL. So, it is God who can expel Satan because of his Omnipotence. On the other hand, Satan cannot expel God because he does not have the same power, but he can tempt people to be on his side so that people may choose to go against God.
Going against God is like giving ourselves the DEATH SENTENCE because God is the source of all goodness and life. If we allow Satan to occupy our lives, evil will consume us we will destroy ourselves in the process. We will be instruments of evil everywhere we go. And, if we remain this way, we will definitely lose the chance to have eternal life with God. How tragic to lose this GOLDEN CHANCE just because we allowed Satan to occupy our lives!
If we choose God instead, and ask the Holy Spirit to occupy our lives, goodness will consume us and we will be the very best version of ourselves. We will be instruments of goodness everywhere we go. And, if we remain this way, we will definitely have this GOLDEN CHANCE to have eternal life with God!
Lord God, may we always choose YOU and YOU ALONE! Fill us with your Spirit always!
