9781644135945

The Time After Pentecost
hast made all things, heaven, and earth, and all things that are under the cope of heaven;
Thou art Lord of all” (Introit). The Lord is more powerful than Satan and all the powers
of darkness. “Lord, Thou hast been our refuge” (Gradual).
“Whom resist ye, strong in faith” (1 Pt 5:9), that is, in the armor of God: “Having
your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of justice, and your feet
shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; in all things taking the shield of faith, . . .
the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Epistle).
The Apostle is solicitous lest the soldiers of Christ neglect any of the weapons which
the Lord has provided for them. The whole armor of the Christian soldier consists of
six pieces: a girdle, a breastplate, sandals, a shield, a helmet, and a sword. The girdle of
truth is the virtue of faith and our oath of allegiance given to the Lord at the time of our
baptism. The “breastplate of justice” is our dedication to a good and virtuous life. The
sandals with which the feet of the Christian soldier must be shod are our promptness
in living at all times in the spirit and doctrine of Christ, our imitation of the example of
the Lord, our application of His teachings to our own life, and the example of a virtuous
Christian life that we give to the world. On our left arm we carry the “shield of faith”: our
firm confidence in His abiding presence, in His power, His grace, His operation within our
souls. On our heads we wear the “helmet of salvation,” that is, our hope and trust in the
eternal salvation which awaits us. With the right hand we wield the “sword of the Spirit,
which is the word of God.” Imitating Christ’s example in the desert, we are to reply to all
the suggestions of Satan: “Begone, Satan! For it is written: The Lord thy God shalt thou
adore, and Him only shalt thou serve” (Mt 4:10).
The life of the Church and of her children is a continual struggle to establish the ideals
of Christ in the world. Christ relives His earthly life in us and conquers in us. He fights
and conquers in us all days, “even to the consummation of the world” (Mt 28:20); for
He is the risen Lord, the King of the world, who lives in His members. In order that
He might live in us and conquer through us, He united us to Himself as His members
through baptism. He gives us Himself as the food for our souls, and from this food we
gain power and strength. With His power and strength we fight and conquer; on Him we
depend for all things. “All things are in Thy will, O Lord; and there is none that can resist
Thy will; for Thou hast made all things” (Introit). “Lord, Thou hast been our refuge from
generation to generation. Before the mountains were made, or the earth and world was
formed, . . . Thou art God” (Gradual). Thou fightest within Thy Church and conquerest
within Thy members.
We are to put on the armor of God and maintain a firm confidence in Christ, who lives
within us. We must be faithful to the oath of allegiance we took at baptism, keeping alive the
spirit of faith, our zeal for the gospel, and our spirit of penance and abstinence.
Prayer
Watch over Thy household, we beseech Thee, O Lord, with continual mercy, that through Thy
protection it may be freed from all adversities and be devoted to good works. Through Christ
our Lord. Amen.
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