Breaking the Word

Some of them said, "By the power of Beelzebul, the prince of demons, he drives out demons." Others, to test him, asked him for a sign from heaven. But he knew their thoughts and said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste and house will fall against house. And if Satan is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that it is by Beelzebul that I drive out demons. If I, then, drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your own people drive them out? Therefore they will be your judges. But if it is by the finger of God that (I) drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you… (Lk 11:15-26)

 

 

Jesus went about doing good. Many followed him. Anyone who does not come from the regular or normal way of leadership but has a group of followers then he is considered with suspicion and doubt. This happens in every society and everywhere and always. This is what happened when Jesus came into the society and went about doing good and gathered followers around him.

 

The society in general and most of the people can never accept the good things done by another. They would always give a negative interpretation to whatever is done. They would give negative intention or negative cause for the action. This is what happened when Jesus went about doing good particularly when he went about chasing the demon and evil spirits from the people.

 

Jesus' attitude is different. Whenever and wherever good is done then it is the sign of the presence of the kingdom for Jesus. It is the work of God. Jesus wanted his followers to accept goodness and appreciate good being done. So the attitude of the viewer is important. Besides the ability to distinguish good from evil and see good in others is also a divine quality.    

And he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend to whom he goes at midnight and says, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, for a friend of mine has arrived at my house from a journey and I have nothing to offer him,' and he says in reply from within, 'Do not bother me; the door has already been locked and my children and I are already in bed. I cannot get up to give you anything.' I tell you, if he does not get up to give him the loaves because of their friendship, he will get up to give him whatever he needs because of his persistence… (Lk 11:5-13)

 

 

Luke presents God as a father and as a friend when he speaks of prayer. God as a father we have heard many times but as a friend we have not heard much. In this story God as ‘friend’ replies to his friend who is standing outside the door saying that he is at the moment as ‘father’ could not help him. If he gets up to help a friend then he will be a nuisance to his children (and not a father to them). But the friend outside the door has a real problem. The friend outside the door believes that the friend in bed will understand the situation.

 

What the author is trying to communicate in this story is persistence. Even a sleepy friend will give in for persistence. Constant knocking, persistent asking and continuous searching will bear fruit. Our prayer should be so. Formal prayers, regularity in prayer, regular liturgies are all needed for spiritual life. Persistence and determination in prayer will have the desired results. Even a sleepy friend will respond persistence.