Some of our evils can be dealt with only through prayer in the power of the risen Lord.

Reading: “Be quiet!” Jesus said sternly. “Come out of him!” Then the demon threw the man down before them all and came out without. Luke 4:35.
 
Good morning, happy Tuesday, and many blessings my dear family.
 
In today’s Gospel (Luke 4:31-37) we learn that the people of Capernaum were astounded at the authority of Jesus and his words. He was not saying things that were very different from what they normally heard, but he was speaking with great authority. He had a clear sense of who he was, his relationship with God was the bedrock of his life and message, and so he could speak with great authority. He had no other interest than that of proclaiming the truth and preaching the Kingdom.
 
The people are impressed because Jesus speaks with authority, the authority of his personal integrity and charisma. Often, we run the risk of separating the message from his person, reducing it to a mere moral code. I ask to be given the grace to listen to Him, to let myself be touched by his authority.
 
The Gospels do not shy away from presenting the opposition Jesus had to face whenever he expelled demons. It is no wonder we too find our struggles with evil so difficult. I pray for trust in the power of Jesus even in the face of the strongest opposition. I recall that he is sharing this power with me.
 
It is very impressive that when expelling demons Jesus encountered resistance. He raised people from the dead and fed thousands with a few loaves and fishes without any effort, but he was challenged and resisted by the demons, even though he still had the last word. No wonder I am sometimes mystified by the power of evil around me. I ask Jesus to give me the same trust in his power that I see in the possessed man and the onlookers in the synagogue.
 
We read the Gospels in order to grow in our understanding of Jesus. We read the stories about the effect Jesus had on people. He spoke with authority which means that people heard him and realized that what he said was touching their hearts. He also showed his authority by the lovely way he cured the blind, deaf and dumb, and also those who were disturbed in mind.
 
Jesus seems to live within a world of hostility; political and family divisions as well as the conflict of good and evil were the context of his life. Somehow, he transcends but is involved in the conflicts. He seems to face conflict head-on. He does so, not only with the power of his own personality, but with the power of God so that he can command evil, and it flees. Some of our evils can be dealt with only through prayer in the power of the risen Lord.
 
Blessings,
 
Fr. Luis+