Second Wednesday of Lent

Save me, O Lord, in your kindness. You will free me from the snare they set for me, for you are my refuge. Into your hands I commend my spirit; you will redeem me, O LORD, O faithful God.

The wickedness and snares of the Devil are all around us. We see it in the world, in people, in places, and in things. We are constantly tempted by evil or tormented by those who see good and want to tear it down. God is our only refuge in this dark valley. He is our light, leading us to safety. He is our shelter, protecting us from the storm. He is our help, freeing us from the snares. If we want to have any hope of reaching Heaven, then we must commend our spirits to Him and allow Him to shepherd us to the Promised Land along the Way He has prepared for us.

Do we pray for God’s Help in overcoming the wickedness and snares of the Devil? Do we turn to Him in our times of need and commend our spirits to Him? How can we train ourselves to seek His Grace, follow His Light, and walk His Way?

O Lord, save us in your kindness.

Amen.

Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, archangels

Michael and his angels battled against the dragon. The dragon and its angels fought back, but they did not prevail and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. The huge dragon, the ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, who deceived the whole world, was thrown down to earth, and its angels were thrown down with it.

Revelation reminds us we are not alone in our fight against the wickedness and snares of the Devil. We have Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael to help us. We would do well to pray for their intercession in our lives. Michael as our protector, Gabriel as a guide, and Raphael as a healer of our souls. With them on guard against the Devil, we can be confident we shall not be dragged into sin and destruction by the Evil One. With them, we can fight back against our spiritual enemies and remain in the good graces of God, our Heavenly Father. With them, we can conquer death and have eternal life with Jesus Christ. With them, we can fulfill the purpose the Holy Spirit has given each and every one of us.

How can we be on better guard against the wickedness and snares of the Devil? Do we pray for the intercession of Saint Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael? If not, then how can we make it a habit in our lives to do so?

O Lord, thank you for the gift of your archangels.

Amen.

Thirteenth Wednesday in Ordinary Time

Seek good and not evil, that you may live; Then truly will the LORD, the God of hosts, be with you as you claim! Hate evil and love good, and let justice prevail at the gate; Then it may be that the LORD, the God of hosts, will have pity on the remnant of Joseph.

To be truly free, we must be willing to give up our selfish and sinful pursuits and choose to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ. This free choice can be a difficult one and the Devil will do everything he can to convince us that we are enslaving ourselves unnecessarily. He will try to convince us it is better to rule ourselves, then to be ruled by righteousness and goodness. However, his assertion is a lie... as are all his temptations. The choice we are given may be made of our free will, but in the end, we are choosing who will be our master... God or the Devil. Good or Evil. Justice or Injustice.

Are we seeking good and avoiding evil? How can we cultivate a deeper love of the good and a hatred of evil? What can we do to make the right choice and choose God over ourselves?

O Lord, we choose you above all.

Amen.

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.

Memorial of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, Religious

Indeed, the Son of God was revealed to destroy the works of the Devil. No one who is begotten by God commits sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot sin because he is begotten by God. In this way, the children of God and the children of the Devil are made plain; no one who fails to act in righteousness belongs to God, nor anyone who does not love his brother.

When it comes down to it, we are either children of God or the Devil. We can't be both. They are completely incompatible. We either love virtue or sin. We either love God or ourselves more than anything else. We might fall and falter at times or waver between one and the other, but in the end we will be in one camp or the other. We will be loving and virtuous or selfish and sinful. It is important to remember why Jesus came into the world. It was to destroy the works of the Devil. If we end up doing the Devil's work, then we will be destroyed, too. However, if we do God's Work, we will be saved from our sinful selves and remain in God's loving embrace, always.

Are we children of God or the Devil? Are we doing everything in our power to remain in and with God? How can we make plain that we are God's children?

O Lord, we belong to you and you alone.
Amen.

First Sunday of Lent

“If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written: He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you, and: With their hands they will support you, lest you dash your foot against a stone.” Jesus said to him in reply, “It also says, You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.” When the devil had finished every temptation, he departed from him for a time.

The devil tempted Jesus in many ways. First, he tempted Jesus with the bodily need of hunger. Then, he tempted Jesus with worldly glory and power. Finally, he tempted Jesus with abusing his relationship with God. However, Jesus doesn’t fall for any of these temptations. Yes, he can turn stones into bread, rule over all the earth, and call angels to his aid, but he does not do so because these acts are not what he has come to earth for. He is not here simply to meet the physical needs of others, rule over them as a worldly king, or work miracles for personal gain. He has come into the world to convert sinners and save souls. And so he denies the Devil’s temptations because he knows that he has a greater calling than simple survival, worldly authority, or displays of divine power. He has a message of faith, hope and love that he wishes to impart to the world. We can only hope to imitate him in this dedication to helping others at the sacrifice of himself as ultimately expressed on the cross.

Are we able to overcome our bodily and spiritual temptations? Do we do the right thing for the right reasons or the wrong ones? Are we willing to answer our higher calling no matter the cost?

O Lord, give us the grace to overcome the temptations of the Devil and answer your summons to a life of sacrificial faith, hope, and love.

Amen.