“HE CASTS OUT DEMONS”
Saint Luke 11: 14-28
Oculi: 28 February Anno Domini 2016
Father Jay Watson SSP
From driving Satan away from Himself after 40 days in the desert (Invocavit) to driving a devil out of the Syro-Phoenician woman’s daughter, (Reminiscere) to today’s text for the third Sunday in Fasting season: Oculi (“mine yes are ever toward The Lord”) Christ casts out demons!
It would appear that in 2016 doctors, psychiatrists, psychologists, homeopathic gurus, and potent psychotropic pharmaceuticals also cure…some physiological and emotional brain diseases. That’s not what The Lord did. God was stepping on the head and crushing the skulls of a brood of vipers on His journey to Calvary to smash Satan’s head. There is only one head, only one strong man, and it is not a created and fallen low-life called the deceiver. But it wasn’t just generic “God” who was exorcising and “casting out a devil, and it was dumb” that day…it was The enfleshed Second Person of The Trinity—emphasis not on Trinity but on enfleshed! The God/Man Christ Jesus was defeating the old ancient foe. Doctors can mend broken bones, neuro-surgeons can fix brain problems, ophthalmologists can alleviate cataracts and restore vision, and prompt EMTs can resuscitate stopped hearts, but, only God, Jesus, can cast out a devil. The miracle isn’t a flag of omnipotence but a “sign” of identity! The Nazarene isn’t some special healer or dispenser of proverbial aphorisms—sharing truths about the universe. He is God in the flesh dispensing forgiveness of sins for He is The Truth and the Creator of the universe. This is the one you worship and love because He first loved you.
As clever, diabolical, and evil as he is, the devil is still “God’s devil” as Luther said. This means that though Satan is a master strategist and tactician he cannot do the things that Christ says he cannot do. Satan cannot turn against himself. Beelzebub will not and cannot divide his own “house” or cast out devils. Thus saith The Lord.
If you are ever to believe that The Lord is real “for you” and active in “your life,” than you cling not so much to the historical reality of the act with the man who had the devil which made him dumb, unable to speak, as you treasure in your heart the Word Christ spoke to those Pharisees, and to His own “12” who also were nearby.
The Word from the mouth of Jesus casts out demons; casts out Satan! The Word made flesh, Emmanuel, speaks words of loosing, absolution, redemption, and the Lord of the flies (of death, decay and damnation) is overcome by not just a stronger man, but by The Strong One, the God/Man so strong that He seemingly looses in meekness, humility, servitude, suffering and death on the Cross, that He might show them, and you, that He is The Lord of the Living. Beelzebub’s “spoils,” your souls, are won back by Adonai.
That Word is no lesson to be talked “about” but is here for you, now, to speak!
Your devils were cast out in His water + of regeneration. You sing “O Lord open Thou my lips” and He does. Your mouth “declares His Word.” Your tabernacles have not only been swept and garnished, they have been filled over and over again since infancy by the Christ preached and taught, and by The Christ eaten and drunk. You are truly filled with Jesus by being Temples of the Spirit.
Most blessed, oh so most blessed among all men, is she who is Gottesmutter, the Blessed Saint Virgin Mary. But as Christ said then, He says to you now: “Blessed are you who hear the word of God, and keep it.” Which means: I forgive you all your sins in the Name of The Father and of The + Son and of The Holy Ghost.
In the Name of The Father and of + The Son and of The Holy Ghost
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