Ps 144:1b, 2, 9-10
LK 13:31-35 Full Readings
The Spiritual Battle
Brethren, St Paul in the first reading tells us, we should not and we ought not to struggle and fight against human enemies, we are wasting our time by doing that, the battle we should fight is the spiritual battle, a battle against the sovereignties, principalities and the powers who originate darkness in the world, that is, the spiritual army of evil, Satan being the army commander. If we fight and win this battle, we have victory over everything, even enmity for it is the evil that brings this enmity.
Satan, and his angels, is the greatest enemy of humanity, the source of all enemies and their head, and so fighting the head, makes others also to collapse. St Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:26, says when Christ comes back, he will destroy all enemies and the last enemy to be destroyed is Satan and then we shall all be victors. However, we need to start now and how are we going to fight this Satan.
Being a spiritual battle, we are not going to use our guns, missiles or any other physical thing, but St Paul says that we need to rely on God alone and put on God's armour, to grow stronger in the Lord with the strength of his power. St Paul gives us four things we must clothe ourselves with in order to fight and win against the devil and all its angels.
Putting on a belt or loins which is girded in truth meaning that our lives must be centred on truth, for the devil is a king of all liars and if we live a life of untruthfulness, then we are giving the devil opportunity to work in us. Secondly, is being clothed in righteousness as a breastplate (a piece of armour surrounding the chest). Righteousness means we live holy lives in whatever we do and say. With this evil can never penetrate us.
Thirdly is to put on readiness to proclaim the Gospel of peace as our shoes. This means we have to be people and instruments of peace, if we are always causing chaos, then we become the devil's instrument and we can never fight it and win it. Lastly, taking the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. Brethren, the devil and Bible are enemies and whenever we read the Bible, the devil is scattered, because the Bible contains the word of God and word of God is very powerful to over any evil principalities. So brethren, let us clothe ourselves with these things and we shall surely win our spiritual battle. Above all, take prayer as a chief weapon.
This is what we see Jesus doing in the gospel today. Even after being warned by the Pharisees that Herod was looking for him to kill him, he didn't tremble nor have any fear. Instead he even called Herod a fox. Jesus knew that the battle he was fighting is not won by escaping or fighting or by any other things other than sacrifice of love and service, for it is a spiritual battle. He warns us that we should not be afraid of those who kill the body but do not kill the soul, but rather we should dear the one who kills both. And so we should be ready to fight our spiritual battles so that our souls won't be ruined by Satan.
Reflect today on how you are prepared to fight the battle again Satan. What are the weapons you have put in place to win this battle. Ask the Holy Spirit to be your guide.
Let us Pray
Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil; May God rebuke him, we humbly pray; And do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host, by the power of God, thrust into hell Satan and all evil spirits who wander through the world for the ruin of souls. Amen
Be blessed
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