Gospel (Lk 11,15-26) - At that time, [after Jesus had cast out a demon,] some said: "It is through Beelzebul, the chief of demons, that he casts out demons." Others then, to test him, asked him for a sign from heaven. He, knowing their intentions, said: «Every kingdom divided against itself falls into ruin and one house falls on another. Now, if Satan is also divided within himself, how will his kingdom be able to stand? You say that I cast out demons through Beelzebul. But if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, who do your children cast them out by? For this reason they will be your judges. But if I cast out demons with the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you. »When a strong, well-armed man guards his palace, what he possesses is safe. But if someone stronger than him comes and defeats him, he snatches away the weapons he trusted in and divides the spoils. Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me, he scatters. When the impure spirit leaves the man, he wanders through deserted places seeking relief and, finding none, says: "I will return to my house from which I came out." When he comes, he finds it swept and adorned. Then he goes, takes seven other spirits worse than himself, they enter and take up residence there. And that man's last condition becomes worse than the first."

The commentary on the Gospel by Monsignor Vincenzo Paglia

Jesus had just freed a man possessed by a "mute" demon. Preventing speech means strengthening or at least making the loneliness of those affected harder. Communication through words is one of the cornerstones of human life. For this reason, when this man was freed from the devil and was able to speak, people's wonder exploded. But the spirit of evil did not give up, if anything it strengthened its resistance and opposition to Jesus and the Gospel. The entire story of Jesus, and of his disciples of all times, is a story of opposition and fight against evil. Today's Gospel speaks of the struggle between Jesus and the spirit of evil, a struggle that takes place in the soul of man. It is a continuous struggle that requires us to always be vigilant if we do not want to fall into the condition of that man who, after having chased away the evil from his heart, finds himself once again seized by "worse spirits". When the devil has been driven out "by one stronger than him", that is, by the Lord Jesus, the "house" is swept and adorned, but there is the danger that it will remain empty. If this happens, the devil can return and the final condition can become worse than the first. What does this empty house mean? Our first desire is to be freed from evil and especially from the sin that weighs on our conscience; we desire it and we are happy and grateful to the Lord when he frees us: then our house is clean and well furnished. But in spiritual life there is another necessary stage, which we spontaneously like less, because in this beautiful house we want to stay calm, as masters, without anyone to command us. Yet, the master must be someone else, the Lord. Allowing the Lord to enter as the master of our home means placing our hearts at his service. And he is a master who does not know servants but friends.