Don’t Get Caught Off-Guard.

(Tuesday 3^rd September 2019. Read 1st Thess.5:1-11, Psalm 27 and Luke 4:31-37)

_“When people say, ‘There is peace and security,’ then sudden destruction will come upon them as travail comes upon a woman with child, and there will be no escape. *(1 Thessalonians 5:3)*_

The book of Proverbs teaches us: “A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want, like an armed warrior.” (Proverbs 6:10-11). As much as this saying can be applied in the physical realm (in terms of hard work and diligence), it also makes a lot of sense in the spiritual sense.

If a little sleep can bring me poverty, then a little relaxation of my spiritual life can land me into temptation and sin. Indeed, a little spiritual sleep can bring the devil and his agents tearing down my spirit like armed robbers.

St. Paul tells us in today’s first reading: “When people say there is peace and security, then sudden destruction will come upon them as labour pains come upon a woman with child… So then, let us not sleep, as others do, but keep awake and be sober.”

Dear friends, we can’t afford to sleep or relax in our prayer life. I only deceive myself when I skip my prayers and say: “God understands.” The truth is that each time I skip prayer or some spiritual activity I had planned to do, the devil capitalizes on it and before I know it, the desire to pray suddenly vanishes. And gradually, I find myself drifting further and further away from God and from my holy devotions.

No wonder they say the best time to pray is when you do not feel like praying. If we wait for that time we feel like praying, we will never pray. Constant prayerfulness increases our self-discipline, it makes us stronger against sin and other agents of darkness.

Now, speaking about agents of darkness, you agree with me that it is not every person walking on the street that is “normal.” That was how Jesus went to the city of Capernaum to preach and guess what? Right inside the house of God, there was a man with an unclean demon! It was a battle, the demon in the man spoke rudely to Jesus but as they say; POWER PASS POWER. Jesus defeated the demon hands down.

Be careful. Stay alert in the spirit. Don’t get caught off-guard. I once saw a movie in which a guy met a beautiful girl along the road on his way to church and decided to preach to her. From “Hi” “Hi”, things went to smiles, and then to story-telling and before you knew it, this guy forgot himself and started following the girl home. It wasn’t until the next morning he regained his consciousness only to see a snake sleeping beside him on the same bed. This may be a movie but it has a lot of implications in real life.

Be careful. DON’T BE OVER-CONFIDENT. The moment you sense something in your spirit, act fast, never let down your spiritual arsenal. Remember how St. Paul said we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers in the heavenly places so we should always be well kitted for battle. The truth is that the longer we allow temptation last, the weaker we become in resisting it.

Again, I say: “Don’t Get Caught Off-Guard.”

Let us pray: Lord Jesus, cast me not away from your presence, take not your Holy Spirit from me but renew my spirit within me. Bring back that fire in me to be closer to you. Amen.

Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Tuesday of the 22nd Week in Ordinary Time. Memorial of St. Gregory the Great. Bible Study: 1st Thess.5:1-11, Psalm 27 and Luke 4:31-37).