Reflection for 10/13/17

I don’t know if any of you have ever read The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis, but in this great work of Christian literature, there are these children who discover an enchanted wardrobe which is the portal to another world called Narnia.  In this other world, the animals can talk and communicate with humans.  Also in this world there is a God-character, named Aslan who happens to be a lion, and an evil White Witch.  In one chapter, the main character Aslan is slain.  The children are distraught over his death because Aslan was not supposed to die, Aslan was a guide, a protector, a father figure.  He was the picture of strength and might as a lion, and he was eventually overtaken by the evil White Witch.  Or so they thought…

 

At some point in a later chapter, Aslan returns in a sort of Resurrection to protect and defend the children and to defeat the White Witch.  Here, what was seemingly weak turned out to be stronger than anyone could possibly imagine.  Aslan was seemingly overcome by the power of the Witch, but in the end, he proved to be more powerful than any efforts of evil.  

 

In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells us, “When a strong man fully armed guards his palace, his possessions are safe. But when one stronger than he attacks and overcomes him, he takes away the armor on which he relied and distributes the spoils.”  Sometimes we might believe ourselves to be strong—strong in the faith, strong in physical abilities, strong willed—but as in the Narnia, things are not always as they appear.  The level of our strength depends on the armor on which we rely.  As Jesus warned that a stronger man will take away the armor of the weaker and distribute the spoils, perhaps we should reflect on the source of our armor, the source of our strength.

 

Am I as strong in the faith as I would like to be?  Could I have more faith in God?  Is my armor truly forged by God himself, or do I rely a little too much on myself for my strength and guidance?  Do I seek to listen to the voice of God in difficult times and to discern his Holy Spirit, or do I react our of a sense of “I know what I am doing?”  All of these are questions that we should consider and ask ourselves.  If we are not solidly rooted in the Lord, if we do not trust in him as fully as we ought, then our armor will always be rooted in ourselves, and the evil one will be able to steal it away whenever.

 

But when we are living in the fullness of God’s strength, discerning his will, listening to his voice day in and day out, following the promptings of his Holy Spirit, and attempting to love others indiscriminately, then we are the strong ones who will be able to overcome the evil in our lives.  But we have to be careful, Jesus forewarns, “[That evil spirit] brings back seven other spirits more wicked than itself who move in and dwell there, and the last condition of that man is worse than the first.”  We have to constantly be on our guard to protect the palace of our souls against any attempts of the Evil One.  We can never grow slack because the moment we grow slack and think “I am good.  I’ll be alright,” is the moment when seven more demons return with the original one to take control of our souls again.  Trust in God, rely on his strength at all times, do not trust in your own abilities, but give all to the Lord, and the God who defended the Israelites in the desert will fight on your behalf, as well.