GOSPEL REFLECTION, FRIDAY, 27TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME, 9 OCTOBER 2026

Luke 11:15-26.  During his Galilean ministry Jesus had performed many miracles (seventeen), but on the long journey to Jerusalem with his disciples, he concentrated on teaching the disciples and preaching to the crowds, performing only five miracles.  The one Luke describes in today’s gospel reading is notable.  The Pharisees had already decided that Jesus must have a demon.  Now some of the crowd standing by made the same decision when Jesus healed a man with a demon who made him unable to speak.  Others decided that he must give them a sign from heaven to prov e that he did not have a demon.  They were seriously divided in their opinion, a ‘kingdom  divided against itself’ as Jesus said, and that such kingdoms must fail. 

There were many in Israel at the time who were casting out demons by invoking the devil.  So Jesus said to the divided crowd, ‘if you say I cast out demons by Beelzebul, then what about your own exorcists who are doing that? – they will be your judges.’  Again we see that the crowd is confused and divided.  ‘However if it is by the power of God that I am doing so, then the Kingdom of God has already arrived among you!  Whoever is not with me is against me and therefore scatters and divides!’  Jesus then gave the crowd a warning that demons and spirits that had been cast out could easily return and bring others with them. 

We know from many scriptures and the tradition of the Church that marks of the Kingdom’s presence are unity and peace, as we pray in the Prayer of Consecration at Mass.  Christians at odds with one another, especially over the nature of Jesus himself, do not perceive God’s Kingdom among themselves!