"Forgiveness in the face of the Enemy"-XXI Sunday After Pentecost 10/22/23-Fr StanislausOf Guadalupe

We all have our cross to bear and the combat against evil is something everyone understands. However, in the modern world the true meaning of what is actually "evil" has been lost. The Venerable Archbishop Fulton Sheen often quoted a 19th century French poet named Charles Baudelaire who wrote "The greatest trick of the devil is convincing the world he doesn't exist." Yet, even in Times such as these, we are promised by God Himself that we would always have the means necessary to defeat that very same Evil in our day. This is precisely what St. Paul is exhorting the true believers and followers of "The Way" to do. He reminds them that their belief in Christ Jesus our Lord, who was crucified, died, and was buried then rose on the third day in fulfillment of the Scriptures is what grants each the "armour of God". The evil we fight against and wrestle with is ALWAYS defeated by that "armour of God" which is the girdle of Truth, the Breastplate of Justice, the Gospel of Peace, all shielded by the gift of Faith. While its guarantee is the Paschal Mystery it is only made effective by and through our faith and belief...despite the evils that come before us! That effectiveness rests and is made courageous precisely in the same way it was for our Lord: "But He emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men, and in habit found as a man. He humbled himself, becoming obedient unto death, even to the death of the cross" (Phillipians 2:7-8).

The cross in each of our lives can be heavy and laden with burden. Thankfully, we have our faith and belief and when things get really tough we cry out and might ask God "Why?". Then, effectiveness of our faith and belief allows the gift of grace to well up in courage and to lift our head to look up and see Him on that Cross of Life and He lovingly looks at us and repeats "Forgive them. for they know not what they do" (St. Luke 23:34). This can only be effective through the practice of Humility. Humility and Forgiveness is what the wicked servant refused of those who needed of him and the consequences are taught to us by our Lord Himself in the holy Gospel reading for today. In the end, only our strength and willingness through Faith and Belief is made Effective by our consent to be humbled...even to the point of dying to our own cross.

Please always remember our mission here in the Ecclessiastical Province of Detroit and if you are able we are in need and lack many things. No matter how you might feel about this ministry we are indeed "the least" of the Brethren.
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