THE MIND OF CHRIST…

1 Corinthians 2:10-16
10 God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.11 For what person knows a man’s thoughts except the spirit of the man which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.
12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is from God, that we might understand the gifts bestowed on us by God.13 And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who possess the Spirit.
14 The unspiritual man does not receive the gifts of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.15 The spiritual man judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one.16 “For who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

Luke 4:31-37 

31 And he went down to Caperna-um, a city of Galilee. And he was teaching them on the sabbath;32 and they were astonished at his teaching, for his word was with authority.33 And in the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon; and he cried out with a loud voice,34 “Ah! 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 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” And when the demon had thrown him down in the midst, he came out of him, having done him no harm.
36 And they were all amazed and said to one another, “What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out.”
37 And reports of him went out into every place in the surrounding region.

MEDITATION

St PAUL respond to the imprudent reckless lifestyles that predominated the city of Corinth by teaching about the third person of the Truine God, namely the “Spirit of God;” the occasion of our baptism when spiritual discernment, gifts that illuminate, are bequeathed to us. Mt 3:16 

More explicitly said, Paul assert that the baptised have received “the mind of Christ” enabling the believer to discern between right and wrong and good and evil. In verses 15-16 Paul reflect upon the time he was wrongly judged, stoned and left to die in Antioch (Acts 14:19) by those who were ignorant of the ‘Evangelion,’ the Good News. 

THE GOSPEL READING: Contrary to the applause by most of the Synogogue community who heard and accepted our Lords teaching, a demon possessed man who ‘knew’ Jesus, angrilly railed against His teaching despite his knowledge that Jesus was the Son of God. 

The notion that a “believer” cannot be demon possessed or not know the difference between right and wrong and good and evil is not a far fetched proposition, when we consider the many secular aberrations that are preached and believed on matters of sexuality. Bishops, priests, deacons and the laity who have received the mind of Christ in our baptism, should not skirt our responsibility to lovingly and graciously make known objective spiritual truths to the ignorant, who posit fallacious unspiritual arguments to support unfounded propositions. 

LET US PRAY: Psalms 145:8-14

8 The LORD is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.9 The LORD is good to all, and his compassion is over all that he has made.
10 All thy works shall give thanks to thee, O LORD, and all thy saints shall bless thee!11 They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and tell of thy power,
12 to make known to the sons of men thy mighty deeds, and the glorious splendor of thy kingdom.
13 Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endures throughout all generations. The LORD is faithful in all his words, and gracious in all his deeds.14 The LORD upholds all who are falling, and raises up all who are bowed down.

Commentary. Henry R SYLVESTER Note: The daily scripture readings are taken from the Roman Missal which the Catholic Church use in the daily Celebration of the Holy Eucharist throughout the world.Some weekly readings may differ because of the celebration of local feast days.