Thursday of the 4th Week of Lent
Jer 7: 23-28; Luke 11: 14-23
Dc. Larry Brockman
“They have stiffened their necks”. Such is the Lord God’s sentiment about the people of Israel. Over and over again, God had sent prophets to echo the message he gave Moses: “Listen to my voice, then I will be your God and you shall be my people”. But alas, the people of Israel had drifted away from the Word and the precepts Moses had brought them. They had stiffened their necks; and gone their own way.
How about our society? Have we “stiffened our necks” over the Word of God or God’s precepts? When the Beatitudes are read from the Gospel, do we cringe at the idea of being meek, humble, forgiving, and merciful? Do we become skeptical over the real presence in the Eucharist; or cynical about Church teachings on marriage and family and respect life? All of these are scripturally based, and supported by traditional Church teaching. Yet, hasn’t society “stiffened their necks” over them and turned their face the other way? Doesn’t society squirm over the harder teachings? When people say: “leave me alone, don’t bother me with details; and not right now,” they are essentially saying “Never mind the inconvenient truth”, and they turn away.
And then there are those who don’t listen at all. The church has “too many rules”; “it is out of touch with the times”; or “I just can’t accept that teaching”. And so society proceeds rudderless, or even worse, on a secular course through life, turning their backs on the Lord. Society stiffens their necks over the Word of God. They look the other way, look for another way; or just put it out of their minds; and proceed according to their own or societies values.
It’s like a disease, you know? Essentially, people become possessed by the “status quo” And in fact, all of us are guilty to some degree of that. We become comfortable with our way of life; and either don’t want to hear about changing it; or become enslaved to it to one degree or another.
That happens whenever we become addicted to something that detracts from our relationship with God, whether it is TV, Facebook, Pornagraphy, Sports, Food, Gossip, Drink, Drugs, or a whole list of other things. It’s as if we have a demon within us that bogs us down; dulls us; diverts us; and or pleasures us.
Well, God is relentless in His pursuit of us. He wants us to accept Him and His will for us all the time. He wants to free us from our addictions, from our demons.
In the Gospel, Jesus does free a man from His demons. And what happens? Society attacks him; accuses him of being from the devil? The same thing happens to us when we listen to the Church. We are attacked by society. The government has recently said it: “The Church needs to get with the times; this teaching is too impractical; and it is too old-fashioned.” And society bombards us with specious arguments like “the right to choose”; population control; and acceptance by the pop culture of the time. People think it’s OK because other people who are popular are doing it.
But Jesus made two very clear arguments about those who attacked him when he freed the demon: First, we must remain strong collectively in the face of the devil and his demons. Yes, the Guard, the Church, must remain strong in the face of adversity, because all will be lost, including the armor that protects us, if our adversary gets the upper hand.
And second, “Whoever is not with me is against me”. And that is a really sobering thought. Despite all the rationalizing, dismissing, and turning the other way that society tries to use on us; if we turn the other way, we are going against God.
So today, as we continue our Lenten Voyage of reflection and repentance, let us confront our demons and expel them. Do not stiffen your necks to the Lord’s appeal; rather listen, listen, listen; and respond, respond, respond.
Tags: Casting Out Our Demons