Tuesday, August 30, 2022

 

Tuesday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time

(I Corinthians 2:10b-16; Luke 4:31-37)

The gospels view the world as captured by malevolent spiritual powers.  From their viewpoint the evil spirits foster suspicion and rejection rather than love.  They see Jesus as defeating these demonic forces and retaking the world for God.  In today’s passage Jesus handily ejects a demon or evil spirit from a man at the synagogue.

In the first reading St. Paul explains the dynamic of Jesus takeover.  Many people, but not all to the same extent, are affected by evil spirits.  These spirits – hatred, lust, pride, etc. – move the people to sin.  Christians, he says, through the victory of Christ have been given the Holy Spirit who likewise shapes their actions.  The Spirit inspires them to love, reconcile, and rejoice. 

Not only should we be aware that the Spirit moves within us; we should also renew the Spirit.  Prayer and sacraments accomplish the task.  So also does association with good people and reading edifying literature. Done deliberately, it is not a daunting but rather a satisfying task.