The Promise Over Which Evil Cannot Prevail

[Prayer-Soldier]

The Promise Over Which Evil Cannot Prevail

Scripture:

And I will drive you out from your station, and depose your from your ministry. And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will call my servant Eliacim the son of Helcias, and I will clothe him with your robe, and will strengthen him with your girdle, and will give your power into his hand: and he shall be as a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Juda. And I will lay the key of the house of David upon his shoulder: and he shall open, and none shall shut: and he shall shut, and none shall open. And I will fasten him as a peg in a sure place, and he shall be for a throne of glory to the house of his father. (Isaiah 22:19-23)

O the depth of the riches of the wisdom and of the knowledge of God! How incomprehensible are his judgments, and how unsearchable his ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor? Or who has first given to him, and recompense shall be made him? For of him, and by him, and in him, are all things: to him be glory for ever. Amen. (Romans 11:33-36)

And Jesus came into the quarters of Cesarea Philippi: and he asked his disciples, saying: Whom do men say that the Son of man is? But they said: Some John the Baptist, and other some Elias, and others Jeremias, or one of the prophets. Jesus said to them: But whom do you say that I am? Simon Peter answered and said: You are Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answering said to him: Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona: because flesh and blood has not revealed it to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I say to you: That you are Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give to you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatsoever you shall bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever you shall loose on earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven. Then he commanded his disciples, that they should tell no one that he was Jesus the Christ. (Matthew 16:13-20)

Reflection:

He has given to each child of His creation talents through which they may spread the good news of His Word. For some, it is the gift of discernment. For others, it is the gift of leadership. For others it is the gift of teaching. Still others receive the gift of singing, stewardship, sharing, listening, strong hands or simply a strong heart through which to share with those in need. He calls all the children of His creation to share of their gifts, but if they fail to rise to the purpose for which He has graciously provided a talent, He will raise up others who will respond to His call.

If we struggle in the understanding of the gifts of which we have received and the the purpose to which we are called to share, then, we must turn to Him in prayer. He will not deny those who ask, nor will He abandon those who offer their hearts to His plan. Through prayer, He will guide us, for while He knows our every need, it is through prayer we commit to Him. It is through prayer we may listen for Him. It is through prayer we may be guided by Him.

The glory of His ways are vast, but we often fail to comprehend all which is within His Word. He seeks that all the children of His creation understand the greatest of His commandments; to love Him and to love one another as they would themselves (Matthew 22:36-40). It is the test by which false prophets may be revealed, for if the end of actions do not yield the blessings of love, they are works wasted to the ways of the world. It is the test by which evil is revealed, for if the end of actions do not yield the blessings of love, evil is at hand to bring misery and darkness through selfishness desires, idleness or the ways of violence and destruction. His great glory is revealed through love, for it is His desire that the children of His creation live only in and share the great blessings of peace and love.

It is for this reason He sent His only begotten Son, so that the world may clearly understand His commandments to love. It is for this reason that through His only begotten Son, the forgiveness of sins were placed within the power of His Holy Church. It is for this reason He calls the faithful to share of their gifts so peace and love may be shared by all. It is for this reason, the Son gathered the apostles and His many disciples, and He sent them forth that the good news of His Word should be spread to all the nations and all the generations. It is for this reason that He placed the first rock (Peter) of His church with the promise that the gates of the netherworld will not prevail against what Christ had begun.

For a time, evil will stand in the world as if it owns the world; but the time evil is given exists only by what the hearts of the children of His creation allow. If they allow evil, if they follow evil, if they yield to evil, then, evil shall walk among them and violence, misery, emptiness and darkness shall follow the days of their lives; but if they gather together in prayer to share love and end the power of evil, He will not deny His faithful. He will deliver them from evil and draw them within His kingdom where evil has no place and love is freely shared for the peace and blessings of all.

He has given to the people a place to reflect upon His glory, grace, mercy and love. He has given to the people a place where they may share His Word and learn His ways. He has given to the people a place within which to heal the soul. He has given the people a place from which they may prepare for the day He calls them to the gates of His kingdom. This place is His church, His house, where the faithful may gather and worship in fulfillment of His commandment to love.

His church does not exist only within buildings where the children of His creation place altars and share the teachings of His Word, but it exists within the hearts of His faithful wherever they go. He has done this for while buildings may be destroyed and leveled to dust, His church cannot be destroyed while it rests within the hearts of the faithful. It is for this reason the evil one targets the heart and seeks to pollute it in any number of ways. If the evil one is successful in the endeavor to drive love from the heart, he can attack the body of the church which is made up of the people of the church. It is the way by which the evil one seeks to destroy the church Christ built upon Peter, by planting within seeds of division and hate.

Jesus told Peter that the gates of the netherworld would not prevail against His church. We are part of that promise, for if we defend His church from within our hearts, the evil one cannot succeed in his quest to destroy all which is good. Blessed are those who erect His house within their community, for from within they may come for shelter, to minister to those in need, to share His Word, and to pray; all through which their souls shall be strengthened and His love may be shared. Blessed are those who erect His house within their hearts, for they will carry His church to others so they too may know its blessings. Blessed is even the weakest of souls which carry His love within them, for wherever they stand, so does a portion of His church and therefore a portion of His promise. Blessed are those who respond to His call to use the talents He has created within them for His purpose, for as they do, they frustrate evil and open the door of love to the world.

May the peace and blessings of the Lord be with you always,
Prayer Soldier