Today, I’m thinking about evil.
Not the mass murderer, the thief, the crooked businessman, the social deviants that we all recognize are evil, but the less obvious evil doers and their evil deeds.
How do we recognize these “snakes in the grass” who are camouflaged so well in our daily lives? How do we recognize evil intent within ourselves?
I bring you St. Ignatius of Antioch, our Saint of the day, who says:
“For some are in the habit of carrying about the name in wicked guile, while they still practice things unworthy of God. You must flee these as you would wild beasts. For they are ravening dogs, who bite secretly, against whom you must be on your guard, since they are men who can scarcely be cured.”
So, let’s be on guard. Let’s stay close to God in prayer, in scripture, in sacrament, in reconciliation, and in reflection, accepting suffering with a purpose. Then, we will recognize when something is amiss, when something is shady. When even those we “think” are on the good side, actually are on the dark side. When chaos looms and doubt creeps in, that is when we know evil is approaching.
Let’s all pray for each other, that we can be vigilant and prayerful. That we recognize evil as it approaches and then have courage and strength, just as St. Ignatius revealed during his martyrdom, to be strong and find everlasting and eternal life in Heaven!
++St. Ignatius of Antioch, pray for us!++
Amen, amen, amen.
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