THURSDAY OCTOBER 31, 2024
THURSDAY OF THE THIRTIETH WEEK OF THE ORDINARY TIME B
Ephesians 6:10-20
Luke 13:31-35
STANDING UP AGAINST THE ENEMIES OF OUR SOUL
The salvation of Christ is not gained without putting up a great fight. It is a battle to live, maintain the Christian life, and to gain victory in Christ. In fact, the world is a battle ground for every Christian. The enemy is not anything more physical than spiritual. So also the weapons of our warfare are more spiritual than physical too. In the end, victory is assured for any steadfast and focused soul who confronts the enemy in this fierce battle armed with the spiritual weapons.
In the gospel of today, Jesus was hinted on the antics of Herod, that is, Herod’s intention to kill Jesus in the task given him by God. But Jesus was not oblivious of the fact that he was in a battle. So Jesus went ahead to declare before the Pharisees that the inhabitants of Jerusalem are always in this frame of mind of killing their prophets and maiming the servants of God. That his real enemies goes beyond Herod to even themselves who have rejected God’s offer of salvation and taken to destroy the servants of God. That the very Pharisees themselves as enemies of God too, who camouflage as helping him.
The great point to ponder is that we are in a battle in the world. Christian life is buffeted by couples of attacks day and night. We face these dangers. We are exposed to attacks, trials, persecutions, and death, all arising from the anger of people both spiritual and physical. Our enemies are varied and intense.
Saint Paul hinted on this in his letter to the Ephesians, our first reading today. He classified these attacks to be “against the principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” in fact, the fight goes beyond the physical to the spiritual.
And to combat these attacks, such weapons that are spiritual are necessary for the fight, without which the victory may elude us. Paul then points to the weapons of our warfare to include, truth, righteousness, faith, word of God, spirit and prayer.
Truth should stand out. That living in truth include upholding the values and worth of our life in Christ, standing on the basic doctrines of Christ and the church, never minimizing, subjecting them to personal interpretation or relativizing doctrines, and morals teachings of the Church.
Then going ahead to strive to live the righteous life, basing our lives on faith. Faith in God and faith Christ Jesus as children of Abraham. Allowing the word of God to control, moderate and inspire all our actions and desires. And being filled with the Holy Spirit as the weapon to fight the battle as sword. Then always in constant communion with God in prayer.
With these, we will be able to stand against the powers that contend with us.
God our Father, we thank you for leading us to the end of this month. We pray for a steadfast spirit. May we continue to live in truth, be strong in faith, striving always to live the righteous life and be guarded by your word, and in the spirit, to maintain communion with you in prayer. Fight with us against all our enemies and win for us this battle of life through Christ our Lord.
Fr Norbert Uchuno
