PROPAGATING GOOD AGAINST EVIL

SATURDAY, FIFTH WEEK OF EASTER   

Acts 15:22-31; Ps 57:8-12; Jn 15:12-17

Structure of Evil and Hatred

We have acknowledged and described the presence of divine love in the created universe and in the human family that God instituted for the well-being of his children. The orderly structures in creation and in the family are a result of obedience to God’s word, which brings things into existence. Thus, the orderly structures propagate the presence of God through his word, upholding the structures and forming noble souls within and through them, both in creation and in the human family. Disobedience, on the other hand, which entered the universe through the disobedience of Adam and Eve, and became the seed of darkness and evil in them and their progenies, also produced its evil structures. The structures of sin, disobedience to divine will, emanating from man, work to obstruct the working of the divine structures or to obscure them by darkness and destroy man in the darkness of sin. We propagate these structures of evil when we lose focus on the word of God and live independent of his will. We unconsciously propagate adverse structures when we grow weak in prayer and focus on material gains instead of putting our efforts on spiritual gain by knowing and following the divine will. Since Jesus is the embodiment of the Father’s will for us, we propagate the structures of sin when we give Jesus Christ any place other than the priority of place in our lives.

Because the world is not attuned to the Gospel of the Son of Man, the world and the cultures therein are inimical to the Christian life, mission, and goal. The first lesson we must learn as Christians is never to stand with the world. The Lord makes this clear in the Gospel. “If the world hates you, remember that it hated me before you. If you belonged to the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you do not belong to the world, because my choice withdrew you from the world, therefore the world hates you.” As Christians, we must be wary of the spirits of the world, especially in our families. As we noted previously, the family is divinely instituted and must live the word of God, not on the maxims of the world. We must spend ample time in prayer and meditation on the world of God to build a healthy and spiritual family that will withstand the attacks from the world and its spirits. With this, and ensuring that our children imbibe the divine structures emanating from obedience to God’s word, will not only establish our family in peace but also strengthen the Church through quality membership to support the apostolates. The danger of social media to the well-being of our families and family life cannot be overemphasised. We must establish true and meaningful communication within families, convents, and parish churches, not only with those on social media.

By communicating often with each other, we proclaim the Gospel to one another, mainly by our love for each other, demonstrated by words and deeds. If we love our family members as Jesus Christ did, then we can easily proclaim the Gospel to those outside the family. Effectiveness in preaching the Gospel is developed within the family, convent, or parish church. Paul and Barnabas were effective preachers of the Gospel and carried the Gospel to distant places and peoples because they first established a functional Christian community at Antioch. The beautiful and efficient party they formed for preaching was destroyed by the inconsistency of John Mark during their missionary journey. “Barnabas suggested taking John Mark, but Paul was not in favour of taking along the very man who had deserted them in Pamphylia and had refused to share in their work.” He refused to share in their work because he was not of the same family spirit. But Barnabas was open to forming and working with him. “After a violent quarrel, they parted company, and Barnabas sailed off with Mark to Cyprus. Before Paul left, he chose Silas to accompany him and was commended by the brothers to the grace of God.” The Holy Spirit, who dwells within us and in our families, will always help and direct our path in divine will. We should always expect the clash of the Spirit of God within us and the spirits of the world. “If they persecuted me, they will persecute you too; if they kept my word, they will keep yours as well.” Let us always be joyful living and proclaiming the will of God, for that is our salvation.

Let us pray: Almighty and eternal God, who through the regenerating power of Baptism have been pleased to confer on us heavenly life, grant, we pray, that those you render capable of immortality by justifying them may by your guidance attain the fullness of glory. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.