Today’s reading:
Exodus 17:8-13
Psalm 121:1-8
2 Timothy 3:14-4:2
Luke 18:1-8
The situation in the world today is dire, and many souls are being lost. Most Catholics are among the lost sheep that are 99 out of the 100. And our churches are losing Catholics by the day. Who and how many will be saved? “But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” (Lk 18:8b).
Yes Jesus will, though it could just be a little flock. But much work will have to be done. This is why we are called to the New Evangelization. This work is to be rapid, massive and worldwide. We must be persistent and persevering. We are to “proclaim the word; be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient; convince, reprimand, encourage through all patience and teaching.” (2 Tm 4:2).
Now when we evangelize with a passion, the enemy will resist strongly. As such we become engaged in intense spiritual warfare, against the powerful forces of the evil one. But we are not to fear, because Jesus already crushed the head of the serpent and won the victory at Calvary. Be that as it may, we still need to do our part. Such was the case in the fight between Israel and Amalek. Moses said, “I will be standing on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.” (Ex 17:9b). “As long as Moses kept his hands raised up, Israel had the better of the fight, but when he let his hands rest, Amalek had the better of the fight.” (Ex 17:11). But Moses grew tired, and so Aaron and Hur supported his hands (Ex 17:12). “And Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the sword.” (Ex 17:13).
It is God’s fight. When we begin to rely on our own strength and resources, we lose. When we fight according to God’s ways, we win. It is God, the all-powerful One, who helps us. “My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth.” (Ps 121:2). It is God who fights with us. “The Lord is your shade at your right hand.” (Ps 121:5b). It is God who gives us protection. “The Lord will guard you from all evil” (Ps 121:7a). It is God who keeps watch over our guardian angels who keep watch over us. “He will not allow your foot to slip; or your guardian to sleep.” (Ps 121:3). Indeed, the Lord Himself is our guardian. “The Lord is your guardian” (Ps 121:5a).
In this fight, God equips us. Since the fight is spiritual, the equipment is spiritual as well. Our basic equipment is prayer and the Bible. Jesus tells us “about the necessity for (us) to pray always without becoming weary.” (Lk 18:1). We must never get tired of prayer. We must pray every day. Our waking hours must be soaked in prayer. This is especially necessary as we engage the enemy directly.
Then there is the Bible. We read it, meditate on it, study it, live it out. We teach it to our children, the next generation of holy warriors. It should be “that from infancy you have known the sacred scriptures” (2 Tm 3:15a). Our work of evangelization is about proclaiming the salvation of Jesus. Then we need to really know about that salvation. And it is the Bible that is “capable of giving you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” (2 Tim 3:15b). The Bible teaches us how to engage in spiritual warfare, and win! The enemy wants God’s people ignorant of His ways, tells them lies, directs them to wrong paths, keeps them in sin. The Bible provides the antidote to all these. “All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for refutation, for correction, and for training in righteousness” (2 Tm 3:16). This is how we are properly equipped for the war and become well-trained soldiers, capable of defeating the enemy, “so that one who belongs to God may be competent, equipped for every good work.” (2 Tm 3:17).
Many souls being lost? Losing the spiritual war? Act on the above, so that when Jesus returns, you and many others will experience the fullness of salvation. “I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and by his appearance and his kingly power: proclaim the word” (2 Tm 4:1-2a). Go and evangelize. “Choose some men for us, and tomorrow go out and engage Amalek in battle.” (Ex 17:9a).
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