Friday, 27th Week in Ordinary Time October 13, 2023

Fr. Rick’s Gospel Reflection for Friday, 27th Week in Ordinary Time
October 13, 2023, Luke 11:15-26
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/101323.cfm

A Vacant Soul – Sound the Alarm

 Jesus drove out a demon from a man in today’s Gospel. He said that the man’s house (soul) was swept clean. The precious blood of Jesus in the Sacrament of Reconciliation sweeps our souls clean. All is tidy, like the man’s soul after Jesus drove out the demon. It is ready for some company. But what kind of company?

The demon returned to the man’s soul with seven other demons in the parable, leaving it worse off than before. How many times that same temptation comes up after the Sacrament of Reconciliation?
We are back where we started, with temptations that we know are harmful to us. We are like the man in the Gospel whose soul was empty, ready for anything to fill it.

When we give Jesus our weakness, especially our helplessness, He draws closer to us. “Blessed are the poor in spirit; theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Should we struggle with the same temptation, pray over the Fifth Maxim, “Acknowledge profoundly our own nothingness.” Take your time with it. Sit with a line that strikes you and wait for the Lord to speak to you.

After a few moments in His Presence, our hearts and souls are filled with trust in Jesus. Listen to Jesus in your heart say so quietly and without words, “I got this.” “I got this temptation.”

 The Gospel Challenge:
A prayer I say every day to stay in the Presence of Jesus so temptations don’t come back stronger than before is one sentence: “O Jesus, I surrender myself to You, take care of everything,
To end this homily, let’s pray that line together ten times so we will remember it.;

“O Jesus, I surrender myself to You, take care of everything,

IGNITE THE FIRE. God bless you, my friends.

Fr. Rick Pilger, I.C.
Pastor
www.bscchurch.com
or .