Saturday in the 28th Week of Ordinary Time, October 21, 2023

Luke 12, 8-12

Jesus said to his disciples:  “I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before others the Son of Man will acknowledge before the angels of God. But whoever denies me before others will be denied before the angels of God. Everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. When they take you before synagogues and before rulers and authorities, do not worry about how or what your defense will be or about what you are to say. For the Holy Spirit will teach you at that moment what you should say.”

The Gospel Reading for today’s Mass continues St. Luke’s report of a teaching the Lord gave to his disciples on his way to Jerusalem.  Previously he has warned them not to adopt the misleading but pervasive teachings of the Pharisees nor to fear them and their wrath, but to trust in Almighty God who counts even the hairs of their heads.  He expands on this in the present verses.

“I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before others the Son of Man will acknowledge before the angels of God.”  This verse comes directly after the Lord says, “Do not be afraid [of the Pharisees]. You are worth more than many sparrows.”  He is saying that if you trust in God then you will fear no one and will be free to acknowledge him, Jesus, before others here on earth.  And if you acknowledge — “confess”, “profess” — me on earth I will acknowledge you before the angels of God in heaven.  The ability to profess our belief in Jesus in directly dependent on our trust in God, our belief that God will be true to his word to protect us.  In order to be witnesses of the Gospel we must possess deep belief and trust in Almighty God.  We obtain this through regular prayer, including holy hours and prayer before the Blessed Sacrament.  We also obtain this through exercising our trust in God through the carrying out of good works.  

“But whoever denies me before others will be denied before the angels of God.”  We deny God in two ways: through outright denial, as when we reply negatively to the question of whether we believe; or through failing to defend the teachings of the Church, through failing to speak up when our Lord is spoken of with hatred, or through sitting when we ought to stand in order to defend our fellow Christians being attacked for their beliefs.  This comes down to lack of faith in God and also the lack of understanding the teachings of the Church.  Since our eternity depends on having a strong faith in God accompanied by a solid understanding of what he teaches through his Church, we ought now to take all the steps we can to fortify in ourselves that which is weak.

“Everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.”  In Mark 3, 38 we learn that the context for the Lord teaching this, at least on one occasion, was the accusation that he drove out demons by the prince of demons.  The Lord seems to repeat the teaching here as part of his counsel to his disciples on the perils that shall threaten them on account of their faith.  This “blasphemy” against the Holy Spirit comes in the form of despair of one’s salvation or presumption of it.  That is, that God will fail in his promises or that we do not need to pray for God’s help.  The first results from the fear the Lord warns us of; the second, from taking his aid for granted.  The Holy Spirit is said to be blasphemed because it is through the Holy Spirit that we receive the virtue of faith.

“When they take you before synagogues and before rulers and authorities, do not worry about how or what your defense will be or about what you are to say.”  The Lord counsels his disciples “when” not “if”.  “They” here means the Pharisees and local Jewish authorities as well as the authorities in Jerusalem and in other cities.  We today can understand this as when we are placed in any danger because of our faith.  The Lord tells his disciples again not to fear about their defense.  Since their “crime” is belief in Jesus, and since belief in Jesus gives eternal life, the believer wins his victory whether he is freed or is condemned to death.  As St. Paul would write, “With all confidence, as always, so now also, shall Christ be magnified in my body, whether it be by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ: and to die is gain” (Philippians 1, 20-21).  “For the Holy Spirit will teach you at that moment what you should say.”  The words they would speak, given them by the Holy Spirit, would be for the benefit of those assembled in judgment, to provide witness to Christ so that they might be converted, and for the strengthening of other believers: “And many of the brethren in the Lord, growing confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word of God without fear” (Philippians 1, 14). 

“Wherefore, brethren, labor the more, that by good works you may make sure your calling and election. For doing these things, you shall not sin at any time” (2 Peter 1, 10).