September 3, 2024, Holy Rosary (Sorrowful Mysteries)

Friends of the Rosary, In today's Gospel reading (Lk 4:31-37), we see Jesus' authority and power to cast out unclean spirits to the crowd's amazement. The Lord finds in the synagogue of Capernaum, in Galilee, "a man with the spirit of an unclean demon, who cried in a loud voice.": "What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth?Have you come to destroy us?I know who you are–the Holy One of God!"Jesus rebuked him and said, "Be quiet! Come out of him!"Then the demon threw the man down in front of themand came out of him without doing him any harm." Jesus Christ is sovereign over demons. Across his public ministry, the Lord met with people possessed by demons, spiritual beings at enmity with God and having a certain power over man. They are unclean spirits, fallen angels, and angels of the devil.  And they are the principalities and powers against who we must wrestle. However, on a number of occasions, we distinguish maladies like epilepsy, mental illnesses, and even lunacy from demon possession. In the case of demons, they know a lot and even acknowledge him to be the very Son of God. But they don’t follow Christ. They are a solemn reminder that it is possible to acknowledge Christ with your lips and not to recognize him with your heart.  It is possible to profess Christ without possessing Him in your heart.  It is possible to claim to be a follower of Christ and yet not be a follower of Christ. It is not knowledge but love that distinguishes saints and faithful from devils. Ave Maria!Jesus, I Trust In You! Come, Holy Spirit, come! To Jesus through Mary! + Mikel Amigot | RosaryNetwork.com, New York • ⁠September 3, 2024, Today’s Rosary on YouTube | Daily broadcast at 7:30 pm ET