DAILY- HOMILY

September 3, 2019 - TUESDAY, 22ND WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
St. Gregory the Great,
Pope and Doctor of the Church
Memorial. White.

1 Thes 5: 1 – 6, 9 – 11 / Lk 4: 31 – 37

Pope St. Gregory the Great (540 – 604) instituted liturgical reforms and organized missions: he was the first to send missionaries to England.

FROM THE 1ST READING: 1 Thes 5: 4 – 6, 11
You, beloved, are not in darkness; so that day will not surprise you like a thief. All of you are citizens of the light and the day; we do not belong to night and darkness. Let us not, therefore, sleep as others do, but remain alert and sober. . . Encourage one another and build up one another, as you are doing now.

GOSPEL READING: Lk 4: 31 – 37
Jesus went down to Capernaum, a town of Galilee, and began teaching the people at the sabbath meetings. They were astonished at the way he taught them, for his word was spoken with authority.

In the synagogue there was a man possessed by an evil spirit who shouted with a loud voice, "What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I recognize you: you are the Holy One of God." Then Jesus said to him sharply, "Be silent and leave this man!" The evil spirit then threw the man down in front of them and came out of him without   doing him any harm.

Amazement seized all these people and they said to one another, "What does this mean? He commands evil spirits with authority and power. He orders, and you see how they come out!" And news about Jesus spread throughout the surrounding area..

REFLECTION
In the Gospel reading, Jesus uses his power to free a man possessed by an evil spirit. The Church affirms for us the reality of Satan and of evil. In his public ministry Jesus in so many occasions freed people of afflictions caused by evil spirits. By being tempted by the devil at the beginning of his public ministry, he showed us his humanity and taught us how to oppose evil.

In the first reading, St. Paul exhorts the faithful to be vigilant and watchful. He reminds them that they are children of the light and not of darkness. He reminds them to be loving and supportive of one another.

In his letter to the Church at Ephesus, St. Paul wrote, "Be strong in the Lord with his energy and strength.  Put on the armor of God to be able   to resist the cunning of the devil. Our battle is not against human forces but against the rulers and authorities and their dark powers that govern this world. We are struggling against the spirits and supernatural forces of evil" (Eph 6: 10 - 12)  And we are strong when God is with us.

FINALLY, we pray for one another, for those who have asked our prayers and for those who need our prayers the most.


Have a good day!

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