Feast of Saint Mark, evangelist

Be sober and vigilant. Your opponent the Devil is prowling around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, steadfast in faith, knowing that your brothers and sisters throughout the world undergo the same sufferings. The God of all grace who called you to his eternal glory through Christ Jesus will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you after you have suffered a little. To him be dominion forever. Amen.

Our opponent is the Devil. These are words we probably don’t always take as seriously as we should. It can be easy to lose sight of who is against us as we deal with worldly and spiritual difficulties. We can be so caught up in putting out each momentary fire that we fail to see the Devil through the haze of smoke around us. However, it is important to not forgot who the antagonist is in our lives. He is cunning, persistent, and always on the lookout for an opening into our minds and hearts. He doesn’t pull any punches. He tricks us with sweet, but false words of encouragement towards sinful acts. Thankfully, we are not alone in these temptations. We have God, the angels, the saints, the Church, family, friends, and even at times strangers, who help us resist the evil we are tempted by. God’s grace is always around us. We only have to reach out for it, hold on, and let it restore, confirm, and strengthen us.

Do we recognize the Devil as our opponent? Do we take the threat of the Devil seriously in our lives? How can we be more aware of God’s grace around us?

O Lord, although we might suffer a little in this world, never let us forget that one day you will call us to your dominion forever.

Amen.