Standing in the Gospel of Jesus Christ

In today's first reading, 1 Cor 15: 1-8, St. Paul reminds us of "the Gospel I preached to you, which you indeed received and in which  you also stand."

You and I received it!
We stand in it!
We are nourished by it!
We are made holy by it!
We are saved by it!
We are made righteous by it, in it, and through it!
We are strengthened by it.
We are shown the Way and the Truth and the Life by it and in it and through it! When we immerse ourselves in the Gospel, we meet and know Jesus and, in knowing Jesus, we know the Father, Jesus reminds us in today's Gospel, John 14: 6-14: "If you know me," Jesus says to Philip, "then you will also know my Father."

THE GOSPEL:

• A life-giving Word!
• A two-edged sword, cutting to the marrow of our bones!
• A transforming Word!
• A purifying Word!
• An Eternal Word!
• A nourishing Word!
• A reconciling Word!
• The Glory of God!
• The Salvation of our God!
• The Creative Energy of God!
• The "I AM"!
• The Way, the Truth, the Life of God!
• The Love of God!

Today's responsorial psalm, I believe,  tells us that the message of the Gospel "goes out to all the earth," that "the heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims [God's] handiwork. Day pours out the word to day; and night to night imparts knowledge" of God!

WOW! The next time the priest raises up the Gospel, let you and me fall on our knees in reverence, in awe, in gratitude!

Arming myself for Battle against Evil

In today's first reading, Ephesians 6: 10-20, Paul asks us to put on the armor of God, to gird ourselves with truth, to shield ourselves with faith.  We are at  battle, not with "flesh and blood," but with "the world rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens."  Satan sets traps for me that I can easily fall into without realizing that Satan strategizes all of the time to catch me off guard. That is why, in my case, it is so important to begin my day in prayer.  I am still vulnerable to fall  but I am also more likely to be alert.  The Word of God, Paul states, is "the sword of the Spirit," needed to "slay" Satan.  Do I take the time each  day to arm myself with the Word of God? If not, why not?  With the Word of God, I will, in Paul's world" be more likely to "resist on the evil day," and be able "to hold...[my  ground] of building God's Kingdom, a Kingdom of love. I will, more likely, be a means of reconciliation, of union, versus being divisive, disruptive, and selfish.