Memorial of Saint Francis de Sales, Bishop and Doctor of the Church
Intention: That our Lasallian schools will always be places where the sinfulness of exclusion and marginalization is overcome by the justice of acceptance and respect.
Today’s Gospel | Mark 3:22-30
The scribes who had come from Jerusalem said of Jesus, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and “By the prince of demons he drives out demons.”
Summoning them, he began to speak to them in parables, “How can Satan drive out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand; that is the end of him. But no one can enter a strong man’s house to plunder his property unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can plunder his house. Amen, I say to you, all sins and all blasphemies that people utter will be forgiven them. But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an everlasting sin.” For they had said, “He has an unclean spirit.”
From the Third Meditation for the Time of Retreat | Saint John Baptist de La Salle
Jesus Christ wants you to understand from this comparison that the more your work for the good of your disciples is given life by him and draws its power from him, the more it will produce good in them. This is why you must ask him earnestly that all your instructions be given life by his Spirit and draw all their power from him. Just as he is the one who enlightens everyone coming into the world, he is also the one who enlightens the minds of your students and leads them to love and practice the good that you teach them.
Prayer
Eternal Father, so often in life we choose to be guided by the things that we want even if they take us away from you. Lead us back from selfishness and hypocrisy and help us to realize our need for your grace. Teach us that your creation holds many gifts and that if our eyes and hearts are open to your presence in life, then we can find in you all that we need. We ask this of you who lives and reigns with your Son and the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen.