Collective worship. Casting out our demons

Today’s gospel reading When Jesus had cast out a devil, some of the people said, ‘It is through Beelzebul, the prince of devils, that he casts out devils.’ Others asked him, as a test, for a sign from heaven; but, knowing what they were thinking, he said to them, ‘Every kingdom divided against itself is heading for ruin, and a household divided against itself collapses. So too with Satan: if he is divided against himself, how can his kingdom stand? – Since you assert that it is through Beelzebul that I cast out devils. Now if it is through Beelzebul that I cast out devils, through whom do your own experts cast them out? Let them be your judges then. But if it is through the finger of God that I cast out devils, then know that the kingdom of God has overtaken you. So long as a strong man fully armed guards his own palace, his goods are undisturbed; but when someone stronger than he is attacks and defeats him, the stronger man takes away all the weapons he relied on and shares out his spoil. Luke 11:15-26 Today’s gospel reading

What can we learn from this…? “There are none so blind as those who will not see.” In today’s passage Jesus frees a person from an evil power which had left him mute, so that he could not speak. (In Matthew’s version of this story, the man is also blind.) Even as God’s children, many of us can suffer from our own personal demons, Often we feel that we are not good enough and do not believe in ourselves. If only we can see ourselves as others do. We hide and we remain silent, especially when the values we hold are attacked or ridiculed. Once liberated, the man could speak and he did so, much to the amazement of the crowd. Let us, too, pray for this gift of speech, to be able to say the right thing at the right time.

Task: Write your name on a piece of paper. Fold the piece of paper and hand it to your form tutor. Your form tutor will randomly hand out the pieces of paper. When you receive a name, write one thing about that person that you like. Could it be that they are happy, do they help others, do you like how they dress? Once you have written the affirmation, fold the piece paper and hand it back to your form tutor. Your form tutor will hand you your piece of paper as you are leaving.

Prayer I am loved by God;  I am made by God;  I am forgiven by God;  I am accepted by God unconditionally;  I am a child of God;  I am sustained by God;  I am important to God;  I am used by God;  I am enabled by God;  I am destined for God. Amen.