tomorrow (Sunday 24th March) at 1130am
When Jesus cast out the devil, the dumb man spoke. However, some people muttered, “By Beelzebub, the prince of devils, He casts out devils.” (Gospel).
In ancient times, on this day candidates were examined in preparation for Baptism on Holy Saturday. The first effect of Baptism is to free the soul from the power of the devil.
The “house” of which Jesus speaks, is the human soul before His coming, degraded by idolatry, by sensuality, under the tyranny of the evil spirit. Mary is a symbol of our Baptism for she gives birth to us as members of the Mystical Body of her Christ. Moreover, like her, “blessed are they who hear the word of God and keep it” (Gospel).
These baptismal duties of “death to sin” and “life in God” (Epistle) are meant to gladden, not to oppress the human heart (Offertory), intended by God for Divine possession (Communion Verse), safe from diabolical obsession.
Converts preparing for Baptism in the early Church were examined on this day. Like them, realise that when you were christened you became “other Christs” in Baptism “by the finger of God” (Gospel). Jesus replaces the “devil” and enables the “dumb” to speak.
Impeded by the Sunday, the Feast of St. Gabriel the Archangel is on Sunday. St. Gabriel appeared to the Blessed Mother and asked her consent to become the Mother of God. His words are recalled every time we say the first part of the Hail Mary. Pray to Our Lady for courage to say yes to Our Lord when he asks you to do something important.