ALIEN

People who have grown mature in their relationship with God have become an alien in terms of relating to the world. Sometimes they are being referred to as fools for Christ just like the saints and martyrs who have given up everything for the sake of God's Kingdom. They are better off as aliens in this temporary world rather than in the Kingdom of God where life is eternal. They have found the real treasure as spoken of in the gospel of Mt. 13:44-46, "The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again, and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls. When he finds a pearl of great price, he goes and sells all that he has and buys it." In order for us to reach this level of spirituality we have to think with the mind of Christ. Amen. Hallelujah!

1 Corinthians 2:10b-16
...We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit that is from God, so that we may understand the things freely given us by God. 13 And we speak about them not with words taught by human wisdom, but with words taught by the Spirit, describing spiritual realities in spiritual terms...we have the mind of Christ.

Sometimes we can't avoid being influenced by this world we are presently in. We tend to live up to its expectation and subscribe to the practical suggestions and recommendations that it offers. When this happens we ought to keep ourselves grounded to this truth in today's psalm which tells us that nothing could be more rewarding than be in union and conformity with the ways of the Lord. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 145:8-9, 10-11, 12-13ab, 13cd-14
R: The Lord is just in all his ways.
...The LORD is faithful in all his words and holy in all his works. 14 The LORD lifts up all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down.

It is a shame when we think that it is enough that we just believe in Jesus because even the demons as in today's gospel know who Jesus is. And to think that sometimes we even fall short of that aspect of knowing who Jesus really is. We've got to do better than this demon if we truly claim that we are His followers. Amen. Hallelujah!

Luke 4:31-37
...In the synagogue there was a man with the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out in a loud voice, 34 “Ha! 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!” 35 Jesus rebuked him and said, “Be quiet! Come out of him!” Then the demon threw the man down in front of them and came out of him without doing him any harm.