In today's first reading, 1 Samuel 4: 1-11, the Israelites lost big time to the Philistines. Hoping to change the outcome of the battles, the Israelites had the Art of the Covenant brought to the camp, hoping that they would thus win. Knowing the history of the Israelites and how God intervened for their freedom from the Egyptians, the Philistines shook in their boots, so to speak. However, they encouraged one another to "fight manfully" and in the ensuing battle won decisively over the Israelites.
We may ask ourselves how that could possibly be with the Ark of the Covenant in camp of the Israelites. However, what we need to realize is that religious symbols are not magic. It is in God alone that our faith must be placed and not merely in religious articles or religious traditions or practices. We also need to ask ourselves whether we are truly seeking God or seeking a dramatic intervention from God of which we can then boast. Why ask that question? Because Satan is subtle in tempting us to turn things into something of which we can boast, taking credit for that which we did not accomplish. We need to be aware of Satan's cunning snares. He will do anything to take us away from recognizing that any gift flows from God's mercy and is a means to direct us to such. Furthermore, winning "battles" involves time in the "deserts" of life and so the "magic" we may be requesting is denied us and "a desert" given instead. As we die to "magic" requests and perceiving God as "a Santa Claus" God, we rise to new life with Jesus on Calvary, a desert of sorts, where "magic" did not happen. His death, and ours with Him, did happen followed by new life.
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