Show notes
Thursday 12 March 2026
Today is Thursday the 12th of March, in the third week of Lent.
Juliano Ravanello sings the Kyrie (Deus Genitor Alme): Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.
As we continue on our Lenten journey, take a moment to pause and reflect on how it is going...
Kyrie eleison
Christe eleison
Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Luke.
Luke 11:14-23
Now he was casting out a demon that was mute; when the demon had gone out, the one who had been mute spoke, and the crowds were amazed. But some of them said, ‘He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons.’ Others, to test him, kept demanding from him a sign from heaven. But he knew what they were thinking and said to them, ‘Every kingdom divided against itself becomes a desert, and house falls on house. If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? —for you say that I cast out the demons by Beelzebul. Now if I cast out the demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your exorcists cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out the demons, then the kingdom of God has come to you. When a strong man, fully armed, guards his castle, his property is safe. But when one stronger than he attacks him and overpowers him, he takes away his armour in which he trusted and divides his plunder. Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.'
Imagine the man in our reading, mute and held captive under the power of a demon. What does this man look like? How does he behave?
Picture Jesus, walking towards him as he begins to cast out the demon. Listen to the voice of the freed man as he begins to speak for himself.
Look around and listen to the crowd. Some are amazed to hear that this once possessed man can speak for himself, while others are critical, accusing Jesus of working with Beelzebub, the ruler of demons. Notice the mood and the division among the crowd.
As you hear the reading again, listen to Jesus’s response to those in the crowd who are testing him and questioning this healing.
Luke 11:14-23
Now he was casting out a demon that was mute; when the demon had gone out, the one who had been mute spoke, and the crowds were amazed. But some of them said, ‘He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons.’ Others, to test him, kept demanding from him a sign from heaven. But he knew what they were thinking and said to them, ‘Every kingdom divided against itself becomes a desert, and house falls on house. If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? —for you say that I cast out the demons by Beelzebul. Now if I cast out the demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your exorcists cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out the demons, then the kingdom of God has come to you. When a strong man, fully armed, guards his castle, his property is safe. But when one stronger than he attacks him and overpowers him, he takes away his armour in which he trusted and divides his plunder. Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.
Jesus says to the crowd, ‘But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out the demons, then the kingdom of God has come to you.’ How has this kingdom of God come to you? Where have you seen the finger of God active in your life?
End this time of prayer today by imagining that you are still in the gathered crowd surrounding the healed man, speak with those around you, giving testimony about your own experience of the goodness of the Lord.
You have given all to me
To you, Lord, I return it
Everything is Yours
Do with it what You will
Give me only Your love and Your grace
That is enough for me
Amen
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