"Paagi Sa Gahom Sang Dios"

Ebanghelyo subong nga Adlaw (Lucas 11:15-26)

Pero may mga tawo didto nga nagsiling, "Nagatabog siya sang malaot nga mga espiritu paagi sa gahom nga ginhatag sa iya ni Satanas nga amo ang pangulo sang malaot nga mga espiritu."

Ang iban didto luyag magdakop-dakop kay Jesus, gani ginsilingan nila siya nga maghimo sang milagro sa pagpamatuod nga ginpadala siya sang Dios.

Pero nahibaluan ni Jesus ang ila hunahuna, gani nagsiling siya sa ila, "Kon ang mga pumuluyo sang isa ka ginharian magbinahin-bahin kag mag-ilinaway, ina nga ginharian malaglag. Kag amo man ang matabo sa panimalay nga nagabinahin-bahin kag nagailinaway.

Gani kon si Satanas kag ang mga sakop niya magbinahin-bahin kag mag-ilinaway, paano makapadayon ang iya ginharian? Kay nagasiling kamo nga nagatabog ako sang malaot nga mga espiritu tungod nga ginahatagan ako sang gahom ni Satanas nga pangulo sang malaot nga mga espiritu.

Kon si Satanas ang nagahatag sa akon sang gahom para magtabog sang malaot nga mga espiritu, sin-o ang nagahatag sang gahom sa inyo mga sumulunod nga nagatabog man sang malaot nga mga espiritu? Ang inyo mga sumulunod mismo nagapamatuod nga sala gid kamo.

Karon, tungod kay nagatabog ako sang malaot nga mga espiritu paagi sa gahom sang Dios, nagapamatuod ini nga ang paghari sang Dios nag-abot na sa inyo."

Ginsugiran sila ni Jesus sang isa pa ka paanggid, "Kon nagaguwardya ang makusog nga tawo sa iya balay, nga kompleto ang armas, indi gid maano ang iya mga pagkabutang.

Pero kon sulungon siya sang mas makusog pa sang sa iya, mapierde siya. Ang iya ginasaligan nga mga armas kuhaon sa iya, kag pati ang tanan niya nga mga pagkabutang pamartidahon pa."

Pagkatapos nagsiling si Jesus, "Ang wala nagaapin sa akon, kontra sa akon. Kag ang wala nagabulig sa akon sa pagtipon sang mga tawo sa Dios nagapalapta lang."

"Kon ang malaot nga espiritu magguwa sa tawo nga iya ginsudlan, nagalibot siya sa mga lugar nga wala sang tubig kay nagapangita siya sang lugar nga iya mapahuwayan. Kon indi siya makakita sang palahuwayan, magahunahuna siya nga magbalik na lang sa iya ginhalinan.

Kag kon sa iya pagbalik makita niya nga ang iya ginhalinan matinlo na kag nahimos ang tanan, malakat siya dayon kag manghagad sang pito pa gid ka malaot nga mga espiritu nga mas malaot pa sang sa iya. Magasulod sila sa sadto nga tawo kag didto mag-estar. Kag ang kahimtangan sang tawo mangin grabe pa gid sang sa una."

***

Meditation:  

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', 'Be-el'zebul – 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. 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 answers their charge with two arguments. There were many exorcists in Palestine in Jesus' time. So Jesus retorted by saying that they also incriminate their own kin who cast out demons. If they condemn Jesus they also condemn themselves. 

In his second argument 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 armorbearers. 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]

How can a strong person be defeated except by someone who is stronger? Jesus asserted his power and authority to cast out demons as a clear demonstration of the reign of God. Jesus' reference to the 'finger of God' points back to Moses' confrontation with Pharoah and his magicians who represented Satan and the kingdom of darkness (see Exodus 8:19). Jesus claims to be carrying on the tradition of Moses whose miracles freed the Israelites from bondage by the finger 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. 

What is the point of Jesus' grim story about a vacant house being occupied by an evil force? It is not enough to banish evil thoughts and habits from our lives. We must also fill the void with God who is the source of all that is good, wholesome, true, and life-giving for us. Augustine of Hippo said that our lives have a God-shaped void which only God can fill satisfactorily. If we attempt to leave it vacant or to fill it with something else, we will end up being in a worse state in the end. What do you fill the void in your life with? The Lord Jesus wants to fill our hearts and minds with the power of his life-giving word and healing love. Jesus makes it very clear that there are no neutral parties in this world. We are either for Jesus or against him, for the kingdom of God or against it. There are ultimately only two kingdoms which stand in opposition to one another – the kingdom of God and the kingdom of darkness which is under the rule of Satan. If we disobey God's word, we open to door to the power of sin and Satan. If we want to live in true freedom, then our "house" (the inner core of our true being) must be occupied by Jesus where he is enthroned as Lord and Savior. The Lord assures us of his protection from spiritual harm and he gives us the help and strength we need to resist the devil and his lies (James 4:7). "Because you have made the Lord your refuge, the Most High your habitation, no evil shall befall you, no scourge come near your tent. For he will give his angels charge of you to guard you in all your ways"(Psalm 91:9-11). Do you know the peace and security of a life submitted to God and his word? 

"Lord Jesus, 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."