The Seventh Day in the Octave of Christmas

Prayer-Soldier

â€œChildren, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that the antichrist was coming, so now many antichrists have appeared. Thus we know this is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not really of our number; if they had been, they would have remained with us. Their desertion shows that none of them was of our number. But you have the anointing that comes from the holy one, and you all have knowledge. I write to you not because you do not know the truth but because you do, and because every lie is alien to the truth.â€ (1 John 2:18-21)

We should make no mistake, the evil one will come to us in many forms. We may watch for those who are of ill reputation; we may steer clear of those who tempt us with the ways of the world; but the one of whom we must be the most careful is the one who would seek to deceive us by making us believe we are following the light, when they are speciously leading us to the dark.

We have been warned of the false prophets and the deceivers who seek to separate the children of God from their Creator. We must proceed with care so that we are not unwittingly led away from the true gospel of the Lord. We must listen with care so that we do not let twisted words seduce us to hate and evil or entice us to paths which do not serve the Lord, but lead us to the guiles of the evil one. We must be wary of those who give us words, but whose actions do not serve the works of the Lord in true caring for His flock.

Jesus taught us the truth in all that He said and all that He did. The one who counsels against the truth cannot be of God. The one who pretends to offer the truth, but mixes in lies of the world is not of God. Let us be wary, for no preacher who preaches hate can be of God. No priest who incites anger against another can be of God. No one who professes to believe, but will not uphold the sanctity of life cannot be of God. We should not listen to those who incite anger and division, for such words are counter to the unity in the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit to which we are called.

No matter what blanket of good intention is wrapped around that which does not fulfill the call to love God, to love one another and to preserve the sanctity of life for all the children of God, it remains a lie; it is a lure designed to lead us to the darkness, to separate us from our Savior. We must be alert for those in the clothing of the shepherd or the sheep who with smiles and guiles seek to confuse us with clever words, but words which are not the Word. Each day they will come to claim our soul.

We do not need to walk in paranoia, for He has given us the means to reveal the false prophet, those who seek to deceive us. We only need to question if what we are being told is for the love of God and His children. If we are told to hate the sinner, they who offer such counsel do not walk with God for He loves all His children, though He does not love their sin. If we are told to accept this one, but deny that one, they who offer such counsel do not walk with God, for God gave each of His children different gifts through which they may take care of one another, not to deny each other. If we are told this one is more deserving than that one, they who offer such counsel do not walk with God, for He told us we should be servants of each other, that the first shall be last and the last shall be first.

â€œIn the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came to be through him, and without him nothing came to be. What came to be through him was life, and this life was the light of the human race; the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.â€ (John 1:1-5)

In prayer we should ask our Lord to grant us the wisdom of the holy Spirit that we may understand the full meaning of the Word. We should pray that that we may not be deceived away from the Word through the beguiling reasoning or silver tongued charisma of the one who deceives. In prayer we should give thanks and praise that the Word was made flesh and through the only begotten Son of our God, we may know the Word. If we invite the Word into our lives, if we invite the Word into our heart, no false prophet will be able to mislead us; we will remain true to the Word and walk with peace and joy in the ways of the Lord.

We should take joy in the gospel. We should let the Word flow freely from us, not just from our lips, but in our daily works, in the love we give to all whose paths we cross; especially to those who do not return our love, for they are those whose spirit is most in need. Let all who see what we do find the blessings of the Lord within us. Let them see what following in the ways of the Lord can mean to us all; the serenity of sharing in the love and peace of God, the incapacitation of that which drives hate, division, carnage, misery and despair.

May the Lord be with you always,
Prayer Soldier