Reflection of January 12, 2021: facing the evil one

Tuesday of the first week of
ordinary time readings for today

In their synagogue there was a man with an unclean spirit; he cried, “What have you got to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Did you come to destroy us? I know who you are: the Holy One of God! ”Jesus rebuked him and said,“ Silence! Get out of him! ”Mark 1: 23-25

There were numerous times when Jesus directly confronted the demons in the scriptures. Each time he rebuked them and exercised His authority over them. The above passage illustrates one such case.

The fact that the devil shows himself over and over in the Gospels tells us that the evil one is real and must be dealt with appropriately. And the proper way to deal with the evil one and his fellow demons is to rebuke them with the authority of Christ Jesus himself in a calm but definitive and authoritative way.

It is very rare for the evil one to fully manifest to us in the way it did in the passage over to Jesus. The demon speaks directly through this man, which indicates that the man was completely possessed. And although we don't often see this form of manifestation, it doesn't mean that the evil one is less active today. Instead, it shows that Christ's authority is not exercised by Christian faithful to the extent necessary to combat the evil one. Instead, we often curl up in the face of evil and fail to hold our stand with Christ with trust and charity.

Why did this demon manifest so visibly? Because this demon directly confronted the authority of Jesus. The devil usually prefers to remain hidden and deceptive, presenting himself as an angel of light so that his evil ways are not clearly known. Those he checks often don't even know how much they are affected by the evil one. But when the evil one is confronted with the pure presence of Christ, with the truth of the Gospel that makes us free and with the authority of Jesus, this confrontation often forces the evil one to react by manifesting his evil.

Reflect today on the fact that the evil one is constantly at work around us. Consider the people and circumstances in your life where God's pure and holy Truth is attacked and rejected. It is in those situations, more than any other, that Jesus wants to give you his divine authority to face evil, reproach it and take authority. This is done primarily through prayer and a deep trust in the power of God. Do not be afraid to allow God to use you to deal with the evil one in this world.

Lord, give me courage and wisdom when I face the activity of the evil one in this world. Give me the wisdom to discern his hand at work and give me the courage to face him and scold him with your love and authority. May your authority be alive in my life, Lord Jesus, and may I become a better instrument every day of the coming of your kingdom as I face the evil present in this world. Jesus I believe in you.