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Morning Devotion for the Season after Pentecost

October 27, 2023

Invitatory

Thus says the high and lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy, “I dwell in the high and holy place and also with the one who has a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite.”

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.

Matthew 12:22-32

Then they brought to him a demoniac who was blind and mute; and he cured him, so that the one who had been mute could speak and see. All the crowds were amazed and said, ‘Can this be the Son of David?’ But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, ‘It is only by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons, that this fellow casts out the demons.’ He knew what they were thinking and said to them, ‘Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand. If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then will his kingdom stand? If I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your own exorcists^* cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come to you. Or how can one enter a strong man’s house and plunder his property, without first tying up the strong man? Then indeed the house can be plundered. Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. Therefore I tell you, people will be forgiven for every sin and blasphemy, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.

Meditation: Rebecca Northington

On first reading there are two major themes communicated in this passage: “no city or house divided against itself will stand”, and “whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or the age to come.” This last line should give us all pause. Many believe everything can be forgiven if we repent and turn back to God for forgiveness. This line appears to suggest that there are exceptions. I think this line tells us a huge amount about the Holy Spirit, and I will come back to it.

But the “house divided” line is just too good not to consider on October 27th, 2023, because wow, have we seen a house divided. Beyond the US House of Representatives, we live in a metaphorical house divided with half the world choosing one side, and the other half on the other. In fact, we seem to generally be a divided people in 2023, on nearly every issue, with little to no civil discourse to help us understand one another and move towards unity. And as Jesus reminds us, this is untenable, it will not stand.

If we are not with Jesus, we are against him, this passage tells us. Who, I wonder, is with Jesus, on the global scale, and on the national one? Who is trying to give sight to the blind, and hearing to the deaf? Who is healing the lepers and offering tax collectors and prostitutes hospitality and forgiveness? Who is leading with love and peace?

Upon second, third and repeated readings I hope you see the connection between these two themes. Jesus is warning those who would subvert the good news that he brings to maintain or enhance their own power. The Pharisees ignore the needs of their people and God’s activity amongst them, for power. Our willingness to trade God’s love, to choose “blasphemy” over God’s activity, suggests a hubris we all must fight against. It also contributes to this lack of unity that proves again and again to be catastrophically destructive at worst, and paralyzing at best. A house divided cannot stand.

As the Pharisees intentionally sow doubt regarding God’s actions through Jesus I am reminded of John. John reckons with the importance of faith in the Holy Spirit once Jesus is gone (John 15/16). We cannot depend on daily miracles performed by him, we must come to understand God with us through the Holy Spirit, through faith. The Holy Spirit will be his “helper” and his “advocate”, remaining with us and in us. It is through the power of the Holy Spirit that Jesus acts.

So when the Pharisees accuse Jesus of being Beelzebub they deny the work of the Holy Spirit; that is their blasphemy, which ultimately means denying God, and Jesus as well. In the last line of the passage Jesus tells us this cannot be forgiven, in this lifetime or in the “age to come”. We can challenge Christ, and even God. We as Episcopalians are certainly comfortable with uncertainty and doubt. But to publicly, knowingly, reject God’s activity in the world, for personal gain, makes it impossible for God. This, I believe, is what Jesus ultimately cautions against, and so he reveals the immensity of such an offense.



The Lord’s Prayer:

Our Father, who art in heaven,

  hallowed be thy Name,

  thy kingdom come,

  thy will be done,

    on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses,

  as we forgive those

    who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation,

  but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom,

  and the power, and the glory,

  for ever and ever. Amen.