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hath fainted after thy salvation ; and in thy word
I have very much hoped. When wilt thou execute
judgment on them that persecute me? They have per
secuted me unjustly, do thou help me.
In the Epistle Saint Paul tells us that our invisible
enemies are the powers of darkness, whilst those that
are visible are the world and the flesh, the auxiliaries
and accomplices of Satan. The struggle against these
enemies is a daily one, and will continue until the end of
the world ; then the final victory will be with God. Saint
Paul tells us that we should put on the armour of God
that we may able to resist our enemies. The soldier of
Christ must have truth, as his girdle ; justice
as breast
plate ; he must be shod with peace ; faith must be his
shield, salvation his helmet, and as sword the Word
of God. Thus armed he will be able to resist his
enemies and to overthrow them. The belt with which
the soldiers loins are girt, constitutes his strength ; thus,
truth is the strength of the Christian ; the breast-plate
is a protection against wounds ; thus, justice or the
perfect observance of the divine Law preserves the soul
against all the attacks of sin. To march to battle, the
soldier is shod ; the Christian must never march except
to bring peace with the glad tidings of the Gospel. The
helmet protects and covers the soldier s head, thus is sal
vation the Christian s safeguard. The shield serves to
ward off the enemies weapons ; thus does faith repel
all the blows of error and impiety. The soldier s hand is
armed with a sword to defend himself and to slay his
enemy ; thus the Word of God is a two-edged sword
which saves him who receives it, and kills him who
resists it.
FORGIVENESS OF INJURIES is the lesson taught in the
parable read in the Gospel of this day s Mass. It is