Rev. Fr.
Leonard Goffine's
The Church's Year
THIRD SUNDAY
IN LENT
(OCULI)
The Introit of this day's
Mass, which begins with the word Oculi, is the prayer of a soul
imploring deliverance from the snares of the devil:
INTROIT My eyes are ever towards the
Lord: for he shall pluck my feet out of the snare: look thou upon
me, and have mercy on me, for I am alone and poor. To thee, O Lord,
have I lifted up my soul: in thee, O my God, I put my trust: let me
not be ashamed. (Fs. XXIV.) Glory be to the Father, etc.
COLLECT We beseech Thee, Almighty
God, regard the desires of the humble, and stretch forth the right
hand of Thy majesty to be our defence. Through Jesus Christ, our
Lord, etc.
EPISTLE (Ephes. V. 1-9.) Brethren, be
ye followers of God, as most dear children; and walk in love, as
Christ also hath loved us, and hath delivered himself for us, an
oblation and a sacrifice to God, for an odor of sweetness. But
fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not so
much as be named among you, as becometh saints; nor obscenity, nor
foolish talking, nor scurrility, which is to no purpose; but rather
giving of thanks: for know ye this, and understand, that no
fornicator, nor unclean, nor covetous person, which is a serving of
idols, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let
no man deceive you with vain words; for because of these things
cometh the anger of God upon the children of unbelief. Be ye not
therefore partakers with them. For you were heretofore darkness; but
now light in the Lord. Walk, then, as children of the light: for the
fruit of the light is in all goodness, and justice, and
truth.
EXPLANATION The apostle requires us to
imitate God, as good children imitate their father in well-doing and
in well-wishing; besides he declares that all covetousness,
fornication, all disgraceful talk and equivocal jokes should be
banished from Christian meetings, even that such things should not
be so much as mentioned among us; because these vices unfailingly
deprive us of heaven. He admonishes us not to let ourselves be
deceived by the seducing words of those who seek to make these vices
appear small, nothing more than pardonable human weaknesses; those
who speak thus are the children of darkness and of the devil, they
bring down the wrath of God upon themselves, and all who assent to
their words. A Christian, a child of light, that is, of faith,
should regard as a sin that which faith and conscience tell him is
such, and must live according to their precepts and not by false
judgment of the wicked. Should any one seek to lead you away, ask
yourself, my Christian soul, whether you would dare appear with such
a deed before the judgment-seat of God. Listen to the voice of your
conscience, and let it decide, whether that which you are expected
to do is good or bad, lawful or unlawful.
ASPIRATION Place Thy fear, O God,
before my mouth, that I may utter no vain, careless, much less
improper and scandalous words, which may be the occasion of sin to
my neighbor. Strengthen me, that I may not be deceived by flattering
words, and become
faithless to Thee.
 GOSPEL (Luke XI. 14.-28.) At that time,
Jesus was casting out a devil, and the same was dumb. And when he
had cast out the devil, the dumb spoke, and the multitudes were in
admiration at it. But some of them said: He casteth out devils by
Beelzebub the prince of devils. And others tempting, asked of him a
sign from heaven. But he seeing their thoughts, said to them: Every
kingdom divided against itself shall be brought to desolation, and
house upon house shall fall. And if Satan also be divided against
himself, how shall his kingdom stand? because you say, that through
Beelzebub I cast out devils. Now if I cast out devils by Beelzebub,
by whom do your children cast them out? Therefore they shall be your
judges. But if I by the finger of God cast out devils, doubtless the
kingdom of God is come upon you. When a strong man armed keepeth his
court, those things which he possesseth are in peace; but if a
stronger than he come upon him, and overcome him, he will take away
all his armor wherein he trusted, and will distribute his spoils. He
that is not with me, is against me; and he that gathereth not with
me, scattereth. When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he
walketh through places without water, seeking rest; and not finding,
he saith, I will return into my house whence I came out: and when he
is come, he findeth it swept and garnished. Then he goeth, and
taketh with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and
entering in they dwell there. And the last state of that man becomes
worse than the first. And it came to pass, as he spoke these things,
a certain woman from the crowd, lifting up her voice, said to him:
Blessed is the womb that bore thee, and the paps that gave thee
suck. But he said: Yea rather blessed are they who hear the word of
God, and keep it.
Can a man be really possessed of a
devil?
It is the doctrine
of the Catholic Church that the evil spirit most perniciously
influences man in a twofold manner: by enticing his soul to sin, and
then influencing his body which he often entirely or partially
possesses, manifesting himself by madness, convulsions, insanity,
etc. Many texts of Scripture, and the writings of the Fathers speak
of this possession. St. Cyprian writes: "We can expel the swarms of
impure spirits, who for the ruin of the soul, enter into the bodies
of men, and we can compel them to acknowledge their presence, by the
force of powerful words." Possession takes place by the permission
of God either for trial or as a punishment for sin committed, (I.
Cor. V. 5.) and the Church from her Head, Jesus, who expelled so
many devils, has received the power of casting them out as He did.
(Mark XVI. 17.; Acts V. 16., VIII. 6. 7., XVI. 18. &c.) She
however warns her ministers, the priests, who by their ordination
have received the power to expel the evil spirits, to distinguish
carefully between possession and natural sickness, that they may not
be deceived, (Rit. ROM. §. 3. §. 5-10.) and the faithful should
guard against looking upon every unusual, unhealthy appearance as an
influence of Satan, and should give no ear to impostors, but in
order not to be deceived, should turn to an experienced physician or
to their pastor.
What is understood by a dumb
devil?
The literal
meaning of this is the evil enemy, who some times so torments those
whom he possesses that they lose the power of speech; in a spiritual
sense, we may understand it to mean the shame which the devil takes
away from the sinner, when he commits the sin, but gives back again,
as false shame, before confession, so that the sinner conceals the
sin, and thereby falls deeper.
How does Christ still cast out dumb
devils?
By His grace with
which He inwardly enlightens the sinner, so that he becomes keenly
aware that the sins which he has concealed in confession, will one
day be known to the whole world, and thus encourages him to overcome
his false shame. - "Be not ashamed to confess to one man," says St.
Augustine, "that which you were not ashamed to do with one, perhaps,
with many." Consider these words of the same saint: "Sincere
confession subdues vice, conquers the evil one, shuts the door of
hell, and opens the gates of paradise."
How did Christ prove, that He did not cast out devils
by Beelzebub?
By showing that
the kingdom of Satan could not stand, if one evil spirit were cast
out by another; that they thus reproached their own sons who also
cast out devils, and had not been accused of doing so by power from
Beelzebub; by His own life and works which were in direct opposition
to the devil, and by which the devil's works were destroyed. - There
is no better defence against calumny than an innocent life, and
those who are slandered, find no better consolation than the thought
of Christ who, notwithstanding His sanctity and His miracles, was
not secure against calumniation.
What is meant by the finger of
God?
The power of God,
by which Christ expelled the evil spirits, proved himself God, and
the promised Redeemer.
Who is the strong man armed?
The evil one is so
called, because he still retains the power and intellect of the
angels, and, practiced by long experience, seeks in different ways
to injure man if God permits.
How is the devil armed?
With the evil
desires of men, with the perishable riches, honors, and pleasures of
this world, with which he entices us to evil, deceives us, and casts
us into eternal fire.
Who is the stronger one who took away the devil's
armor?
Christ the Lord
who came into this world that He might destroy the works and the
kingdom of the devil, to expel the prince of darkness, (John XII.
31.) and to redeem us. from his power. "The devil," says St.
Anthony, "is like a dragon caught by the Lord with the fishing-hook
of the cross, tied with a halter like a beast of burden, chained
like a fugitive slave, and his lips pierced through with a ring, so
that he may not devour any of the faithful. Now he sighs, like a
miserable sparrow, caught by Christ and turned to derision, and
thrown under the feet of the Christians. He who flattered himself
that he would possess the whole orbit of the earth, behold, he has
to yield!"
Why does Christ say: He who is not with me, is against
me?
These words were
intended in the first place for the Pharisees who did not
acknowledge Christ as the Messiah, would not fight with Him against
Satan's power, but rather held the people back from reaching unity
of faith and love of Christ. Like the Pharisees, all heretical
teachers who, by their false doctrines, draw the faithful from
communion with Christ and His Church, are similar to the devil, the
father of heresy and lies. May all those, therefore, who think they
can serve Christ and the world at the same time, consider that
between truth and falsehood, between Christ and the world, there is
no middle path; that Christ requires decision, either with Him, or
against Him , either eternal happiness with Him, or without Him,
everlasting misery.
Who are understood by the dry places through which the evil
spirit wanders and finds no rest?
"The dry places
without water," says St. Gregory, "are the hearts of the just, who
by the force of penance have drained the dampness of carnal
desires." In such places the evil -one indeed finds no rest, because
there his malice finds no sympathy, and his wicked will no
satisfaction.
Why does the evil spirit say: I will return into my
house?
Because he is only
contented there where he is welcomed and received: those who have
purified their heart by confession, and driven Satan from it, but
labor not to amend, again lose the grace of the Sacraments by sin,
and thus void of virtue and grace, offer a beautiful and pleasant
dwelling to the devil.
Why is it said: The last state becomes worse than the
first?
Because a relapse
generally draws more sins with it, and so it is said: the devil will
return with seven other spirits more wicked than himself, by which
may be understood the seven deadly sins, because after a relapse
into sin conversion to God becomes more difficult, as a repeated
return of the same sickness makes it harder to regain health;
because by repetition sin easily becomes a habit and renders
conversion almost impossible; because repeated relapses are followed
by blindness of intellect, hardness of heart, and in the end eternal
damnation.
Why did the woman lift up her
voice?
This was by the
inspiration of the Holy Ghost to shame the Pharisees who, blinded by
pride, neither professed nor acknowledged the divinity of Christ,
whilst this humble woman
not only confessed Jesus as God, but praised her who carried Him,
whom heaven and earth cannot contain. Consider the great dignity of
the Blessed Virgin, Mother of the Son of God, and hear her praises
from the holy Fathers. St. Cyril thus salutes her: "Praise to thee,
Blessed Mother of God: for thou art virginity itself, the sceptre of
the true faith!" and St. Chrysostom: "Hail, O Mother, the throne,
the glory, the heaven of the Church!" St. Ephrem: "Hail, only hope
of the Fathers, herald of the apostles, glory of the martyrs, joy of
the saints, and crown of the virgins, because of thy vast glory, and
inaccessible light!"
Why did Christ call those happy who hear the word of
God and keep it?
Because, as has
been already said, it is not enough for salvation to hear the word
of God, but it must also be practiced. Because Mary, the tender
Mother of Jesus, did this most perfectly, Christ terms her more
happy in it, than in having conceived, borne, and nursed
Him.
SUPPLICATION O Lord Jesus! true Light
of the world, enlighten the eyes of my soul, that I may never be
induced by the evil one to conceal a sin, through false shame, in
the confessional, that on the day of general judgment my sibs may
not be published to the whole world. Strengthen me, O Jesus, that I
may resist the arms of the devil by a penitent life, and especially
by scorning the fear of man and worldly considerations, and guard
against lapsing into sin, that I may not be lost, but through Thy
merits maybe delivered from, all dangers and obtain
heaven |
