”For I have conquered the world”

Today at Holy Mass we hear in the first reading St Paul, who is writing a letter to the Ephesians…In this letter Paul is declaring war!…….”Draw your strength from the Lord and from his mighty power. Put on the armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the tactics of the Devil. For our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with the principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens. Therefore, put on the armor of God, that you may be able to resist on the evil day and, having done everything, to hold your ground. So stand fast with your loins girded in truth, clothed with righteousness as a breastplate, and your feet shod in readiness for the Gospel of peace. In all circumstances, hold faith as a shield, to quench all the flaming arrows of the Evil One. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God”…..The Catechism of the catholic Church is very clear….Those of us who are “above ground” and Baptized are called the “Church Militant”…..What does that mean?…It means that God and “the world” are at odds!….They are like oil and water!…Being Catholic means you live differently and because you live differently - In the Truth - The world, the flesh and the devil will “throw everything” they have against you!…..To think other wise is frankly to “bury your head in the sand” and ignore reality…..America culture as it stands is vehemently anti-family, anti-Catholic and embraces what Pope John Paul II called the culture of death…The family unit is deeply fractured - So much so, people are not getting married and those who do, many do not even know what a “normal” family looks like any more…We abort our children in the womb and think nothing of it…We have normalized homosexuality….Materialism thrives……None of these things are of God…So St Paul today tells us - We are at war!…..To think otherwise is frankly foolish - Indifference to this “battle” simply means you are “going along to get along” - And that is not the path to heaven…St Paul also tells us today….”To put on the armor of God” - What does that mean?….To put it simply - To live in the state of grace….To live Sacramentally…If you “think” you are going to resist the culture and live as a Catholic without daily prayer, weekly fasting, frequent confession and frequent reception of the Blessed Sacrament - You are only kidding yourself…The “culture of death” in America will eat you alive!…The Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us that grace perfects human nature…It also tells us that grace elevates human nature…Sacramental Grace strengthens the human will to resist sin and opens our eyes to the many false promises of the devil and the world…….Make no mistake about it - YOU ARE IN A WAR!….And the world, the flesh and the devil are infinitely more powerful then you without God and his grace…..However, if we do what St Paul tells us today - We will overcome what seems to be an impossible fight…Jesus reminds us in the writings of St John…..”I have told you this so that you might have peace in me. In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world”…Notice the words Jesus uses - Words are important! - He did not say - “YOU” will conquer the world - He said “I” have conquered the world…That should tell us something…Without God’s Sacramental grace - You will fail - Sorry to burst your bubble - YOU WILL FAIL…But with God’s grace….Failure is not an option…So take courage……”For I have conquered the world”…..JMJ

"With all prayer and supplication, pray at every opportunity in the Spirit. To that end, be watchful with all perseverance and supplication for all the holy ones and also for me, that speech may be given me to open my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the Gospel for which I am an ambassador in chains, so that I may have the courage to speak as I must"