Galatians 3:1-5 / Luke 11:5-13
In
forensic psychiatry there are two major areas of criminal
evaluations. These are Competency to Stand trial (CST) and Mental State
at the Time of the Offence (MSO).
Forensic
psychiatrists work with courts evaluating an individual's competency to
stand trial, defenses based on mental diseases or defects (e.g., the
"insanity" defense), and sentencing recommendations.
Putting it
simply, although it may be over-simplifying things, the forensic
psychiatrists determine whether those on trial are mad or bad.
In the opening lines of the 1st reading, St. Paul seemed to be asking the Galatians if they were mad or bad.
Because
they are turned away so quickly from the truth of the gospel and
entertained other forms of practices and teachings that St. Paul had to
ask if they were mad or if they were under some kind of spell.
Furthermore
it was because they had believed in the truth of the gospel and hence
they received the Holy Spirit. But now they turned to other teachings
and practices thinking they could get more of the power of the Holy
Spirit.
Indeed the
simple and profound truth of gospel is that Jesus was crucified and
died for our sins to save us. Believing in that would open us to live
our lives in the Spirit.
And if we
live our lives in the Spirit, then what Jesus said in the gospel would
certainly be true: Ask and it will be given to you; search and you will
find; knock and it will be opened to you.
We just need to persevere and persist in believing the truth and to believe that the Holy Spirit would lead us along the way.
Believing in something else may mean that we are either mad or really bad.