FEAST OF ST ANGELA MERICI, VIRGIN AND FOUNDRESS.
He is possessed by Beelzebul.
THE GOSPEL:
"The scribes who had come from Jerusalem said of Jesus, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and “By the prince of demons he drives out demons.”
"Summoning them, he began to speak to them in parables, “How can Satan drive out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.
"And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand.
"And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand; that is the end of him.
"But no one can enter a strong man’s house to plunder his property unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can plunder his house.
"Amen, I say to you, all sins and all blasphemies that people utter will be forgiven them. But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an everlasting sin.” For they had said, “He has an unclean spirit.” (Mark 3: 22 - 30).
Monday January 27th 2025 in the 3rd Week in Ordinary Time is the feast of St Angela Merici. (1474 - 1540), Virgin. Italian.
St Angela Merici founded the Ursuline Order, the first women teaching order in the Church. St Angela believed that the formation and education of Christian women is society's greatest investment.
Convinced of this truth, St. Angela Merici founded the Company of St. Ursula, [Ursulines] a secular institute devoted to educating young women to be Christian wives, mothers, teachers, and catechists. The Ursulines are flourishing today in their teaching ministry.
In our Gospel of today, Mark 3: 22 - 30, we see a frightening escalation in the confrontation between Jesus and the Scribes. When your enemy calls you possessed by evil spirit, it is time to ask: what next will she do? For many people, there are two existential choices: FLEE or FIGHT.
Jesus chose to fight and left an example for us.
"And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand."
"But no one can enter a strong man’s house to plunder his property unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can plunder his house."
FIGHT YOUR SPIRITUAL BATTLES WITH THE WORD OF GOD AND AND THE MIGHTY NAME OF JESUS AND YOU WILL WIN.
In His Temptations in the Desert, Jesus destroyed the attacks of the Devil three times by the word of God.
Do likewise and you shall be an overcomer. Invest twenty minutes a day in reading the word of God. And this will soon become your most important 20 minutes of your day.
The Church honors the Most Holy Name of Jesus in January.
"The name of Jesus is light, and food, and medicine. It is light, when it is preached to us; it is food, when we think upon it; it is the medicine that soothes our pains when we invoke it… For when I pronounce this name, I bring before my mind the man, who, by excellence, is meek and humble of heart, benign, sober, chaste, merciful, and filled with everything that is good and holy, nay, who is the very God almighty—whose example heals me, and whose assistance strengthens me. I say all this, when I say Jesus." (St Bernard of Clairvaux).
For the Litany of the Most Holy Name of Jesus and prayer intentions click the link below:
