Jeremiah 7:23-28 / Luke 11:14-23
As we look at our world, we may get this depressing feeling of a fragmented and a divided world. We see this practically in every level and sector of our world and our society.
This fragmentation and division have also pervaded into families, communities, societies and nations.
In the 1st reading we heard about how the people of God became a fragmented and divided people.
But that was because they did not listen to the voice of the Lord their God, nor take correction and had become stubborn and behaved worse than their ancestors.
Even in the gospel, when the people saw evil being expelled by Jesus right before their eyes, their hearts were so hardened that they said it was the work of the devil.
Fragmentation, division and disunity are certainly the fruits of evil. And they are caused by hearts that are hardened and refuse to see and hear the voice of the Lord.
But it is the Spirit of God that will soften hearts with the love of God and bring about unity and harmony, peace and joy.
Yet we must listen to the words of Jesus in the gospel: He who is not with me is against me; and he who does not gather with me scatters.
So, it is either we are for Jesus or against Jesus. There is no other option.