Dear brothers and sisters, may the Lord give you peace. In today’s Gospel from Mark, Jesus presents an insightful analogy, stating, “A kingdom divided against itself cannot stand.” It is a clear warning of the dangers of internal conflict, both in our personal lives and within the broader context of the Church and society. The scribes had accused Jesus of driving out demons by the power of Beelzebul, which revealed their unwillingness to accept the truth of His mission and the reality of God’s Kingdom breaking into the world. Jesus counters their accusation with logic, illustrating how a divided kingdom or household cannot possibly survive. Why would Satan first conquer a person and then want to lose his dominion over that person?
The meaning of the example, according to the Church Fathers is this: “The devil is the strong man; his goods are the men into whom he is received; unless therefore a man first conquers the devil, how can he deprive him of his goods, that is, of the men whom he has possessed?
So also I who spoil his goods, that is, free men from suffering by his possession, first spoil the devils and vanquish them, and am their enemy. How then can ye say that I have Beelzebub and that being the friend of the devils, I cast them out?” And Saint Bede reiterates this in this by saying (in Marc., 1, 17) “The Lord has also bound the strong man, that is, the devil: which means, He has restrained him from seducing the elect, and entering into his house, the world; He has spoiled his house, and his goods, that is men, because He has snatched them from the snares of the devil, and has united them to His Church.”
This analogy resonates deeply in our lives today. The Lord has set us free not just once but many times in the confessional and has made us instruments of peace, reconciliation and unity. The divisions we face—family conflicts, discord among friends, or even struggles within our communities—can prevent us from experiencing the fullness of life that God desires for us but especially the freedom from the devil and his kingdom. Each time we engage in negativity, criticism, or division, we risk losing sight of the shared mission we have in propagating love, compassion, and understanding to further and continue building the kingdom of God among us. Moreover, it is vital to recognize that such divisions can also seep into our spiritual lives, that is, into our very spirits. Saint Paul uses an expression. He says: “Do not grieve the spirit that is within you.” If we are not focused and clear in our understanding of God’s will, we may find ourselves torn apart, unable to fulfill our purpose as followers of Christ. The call to unity within the body of Christ is urgent, as our witness to the world depends on it, but it all depends on our personal unity with Christ. We ask ourselves: where am I at with my intimacy with our Lord?
Now, let us also reflect on the first reading from Hebrews. The author speaks of Christ as the mediator of a new covenant, emphasizing that Jesus’s sacrifice is definitive, unlike the sacrifices of old. His offering “once for all” not only cleanses our sins but also establishes a new relationship with God. This covenant, contrasting the old one, invites us into a direct communion with the Father, through Jesus.
In the context of Jesus’s analogy, we see that Christ’s victory over sin and death ties into this theme of division. Just as a house must be fortified against intruders, our lives must be defended against the forces of division—those thoughts and actions that separate us from God’s grace. Through everything Jesus has done for us, he equips us to resist the divisive spirit of Satan. He binds the strong man, so we may plunder his house—our lives can be freed from his clutches of division and sin.
As we move forward this week, let us pray for the grace to dismantle divisions within ourselves and those around us. Let us recognize and support one another as co-heirs of the promise, living out the new covenant established by Jesus, who has conquered death and invites us into His eternal inheritance. Amen.
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