(Please read the Scripture passage before reading the homily.)
We are slow learners. When a strong man fully armed guards his palace, his possessions are safe, but when someone stronger than he attacks and overcomes him,” he loses everything. If Satan is the strong man and Jesus the one stronger who overcomes him, then Satan’s hold is completely broken.
The gospel certainly seems to be saying this, that Jesus has the power to cast out devils and defeat Satan. If this is so, and I am certain that it is so, then why should we have any doubts about our own salvation. If Jesus can defeat Satan, then Jesus most certainly can defeat our much weaker attempts to control our lives.
In the Gospel, Jesus shows himself as the more powerful figure who has attacked and defeated Satan. We can determine from this that this more powerful Jesus has power to defeat any attack we may make upon the God’s kingdom. Our attempts to be strong against God are also doomed to fail.
In other words, we can be sure that our salvation is assured because the Jesus who defeated Satan, has the power to defeat all the evil in our lives. We have to submit to God. Will we do this willingly or will we do it unwillingly? I regret to have to tell you that you cannot resist the power of Jesus to save you and protect you from all dangers, even the dangers you have willingly embraced: Jesus will defeat the evil in our lives.
So, why fight it. Sooner or later, we shall have to surrender to the power of Christ. The sooner, the better. When we give up our defeated, and much weaker, power, we shall have greater joy and accomplish more in our lives from the power of God to which we now have access.
Sinner, do not despair. You have many sins, but in Jesus, God has broken the power of Satan and all other power you have tried to put up against God. In Christ, you are saved. You have no power stronger than God’s power. In Jesus, God has broken the power of Satan and any power you think you have against God.
We are all slow learners. If A (God) is stronger than B (Satan) and B is stronger than C (us), then A is stronger than C. We have to be smart. We win, but only with God not by ourselves alone.