Ad Jesum per Mariam

St. Paul Tells Us to Put on the Armor of God: Why and When Should We Do That?

St. Paul Tells Us to Put on the Armor of God: Why and When Should We Do That? Just as St. Paul spoke directly to the early Christians; he addresses the profound inner and outer battles in living the Christian faith. It’s not merely a struggle to live a good life, though that is part of it; rather, it’s a struggle against forces and influences beyond ourselves. St. Paul clearly warns that evil is not just a pious notion—it’s a tangible reality, with a personal nature that pervades all aspects of our fallen world. No institution, political system, economy, or culture escapes its touch. And this shouldn’t surprise us, for each human heart bears the same compromises. St. Paul Provides a Message to Inspire Us! Powerful forces exist that can easily overtake us if we’re not vigilant. But Paul’s message is not intended to alarm; rather, it is to inspire strength and resilience. He urges believers to confront these darker impulses that seek to control and overpower us. To do this, St. Paul offers the timeless call to “put on the armor of God” for protection. This powerful image reminds us that, while temptation, persecution, and a chaotic world are inevitable, we are not without defense. In a fearful world, this truth is a source of hope and courage. Listen to this Meditation Media message as St. Paul teaches us how to stand firm. Listen to: St. Paul Tells Us to Put on the Armor of God: Why and When Should We Do That? ------------------------------------- Image: St. Paul the Apostle with Sword: Flemish Artist and Painter: Anthony van Dyck: 1620 The Apostle Paul is often depicted with a sword. Why? He writes about putting on the Armor of God. The sword is also a reminder of the means of his martyrdom – he was beheaded in Rome in approximately 67 AD. This artist also has additional work on the QoAH's website. ------------------------------------- Gospel Reading: Luke: 13: 31-35 First Reading: EPH 6: 10-20

Duration:: 22m
Broadcast on:: 06 Nov 2024
Audio Format:: other

"The Lord be with you", a reading from the Holy Gospel according to Luke. Some Pharisees came to Jesus and said, "Go away, leave this area because Herod wants to kill you." He replied, "Go and tell that, folks, behold, I cast out demons and I perform healings today and tomorrow. And on the third day, I accomplish my purpose. Yet, I must continue on my way today, tomorrow and the following day, for it is impossible that a prophet should die outside of Jerusalem. Jerusalem, Jerusalem. You who kill the prophets and destroy those sent to you. How many times I yank to gather your children together as a hen gathers abroad under her wings, but you were unwilling. Behold, your house will be abandoned. But I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when you say, "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord." The Gospel of the Lord. As St. Paul writes to the Christians in the city of Ephesus, his epistle takes a turn now where he speaks of the intrinsic struggle that comes with Christian life. A struggle which is not just a struggle to be good, but is a struggle against something and someone. As St. Paul very directly reminds the believers in Ephesus, evil does exist. And it's not simply a pious fantasy. Evil is real and there is a personal character to it. And evil has its hooks into everything in this sin-fallen world. There is no structure, there is no political system, there is no economy, there is no culture that isn't compromised in some way. And that's the truth. And that shouldn't surprise us because all of our hearts are compromised in some way. And so there are these tendencies greater than us, stronger than us that can master us very, very easily. And that's the truth. But as St. Paul mentions that, he does it not to frighten the believers, but to encourage them to be willing to struggle against those dark impulses that do seek to control us, that do seek to dominate us. And as he does, he uses this evocative expression of put on the armor of God that you be safe. What a powerful statement that is. Understand temptation will come. Understand persecution will come. Understand the disordered world in which we live will seek to overturn your goodness. That is the way things work. But understand as well that you are not defenseless. And this is important because we live in an easily frightened world. We live at a curious time in our own nation where we are a strangely easily frightened people. We are nervous, anxious and upset about many things. And when we find ourselves nervous, anxious and upset, what tends to happen is we grasp in any direction possible in the hope of finding security. This too is part and parcel of what it is to be a human being. There is a reason why in moments of crisis populations will seek a strong man who will overcome their enemies and keep them safe. It is a reason why in moments of crisis we like to easily and reductively define our opponents and harden ourselves against them because we feel threatened. And so it is the same Paul acknowledging the threatening character of the world in which we live. It doesn't want the believers in Ephesus to surrender to those impulses which are just as dark as the malicious intentions that are abroad in the world and we have to understand that. That fear that wants to over master the heart. That anxiousness that wants to color and determine how we view everything. That ready anger and sense of victimization that is all too willing to express itself in our lives. That's just as evil as what we see outside of us. And so Saint Paul doesn't want the church to surrender to that because that is in fact surrender to Satan. Rather he says you are not defenseless and so don't act or think or live in a merely defenseless way. But as he speaks then of this armor that they need to put on it is important to pay attention because he's not simply giving us a nice little metaphor. I need to wrap myself in godly things and I'll be okay. No he has a very distinct sequence. He says gird yourself first with truth. And why? That's the only way to defend against lies. Guard your gird yourself. Stand strong and firm in the truth that you have received. And on top of that truth you begin to put everything else because if not I'm founding everything on an illusion. Gird yourself with the truth. And then he continues and then clothe yourself with righteousness as a blessed breastplate. A piece of armor that protects your body is righteousness. And so note truth produces and leads to righteousness which is right living. All of a sudden note what St. Paul is saying we fight and we do battle not with worldly weapons or worldly anger. Rather found it on truth we seek to live rightly. And rightness of living is its own intrinsic protection. What a powerful statement that is truth produces righteousness. And what does righteousness produce? It leads to readiness he says. But an interesting series of words you protect yourself by being ready for the gospel of peace. Not the gospel of anger. Not the gospel of recrimination. Not the gospel of accusation nor the gospel of condemnation. The gospel of peace. Because whatever struggle we are involved in the response of the believer must not be violent. How difficult it is to realize that because we are mastered so easily by our emotions and our feelings. Truth. Right living. Readiness for the gospel of peace. In other words one looks and is ready to move in the direction of and according to the gospel when that movement is possible. It is not simply passively waiting and protecting myself by living in a shelter. It is a readiness for something. A readiness for the gospel. And out of these things then he is going to say and as you move with the gospel of faith you will meet opposition. He speaks of the flaming darts the fiery arrows that will come. And the protection against those things the shield that we use is faith. In faith why? Because faith is not merely believing things about God. Faith is believing in God. Faith implies confidence. Faith implies trust in one who is greater than me. Note how powerful that is. In the attacks of the world those darts of fear that seem to afflict us. Those darts of lack and need and want that come our way the anger of this angry world. What is the defense? Faith in God who has and continues to overcome these things. Note how different this is from the angry rhetoric which fills our world today from the false and harsh and grandiose promises of how everything will become better if you just trust in me. And St. Paul saying no it's not that easy. And that angry self assertion doesn't solve anything. Truth. Right living. Readiness for the gospel and faith. The response to the frightening attacks of the world around us is not anger but belief in God. Faith. And when we recognize that he says put on the helmet of salvation. Understand who you are and what Christ has done for you. And let that be the defense of your mind because the helmet protects the head. Fix your minds on the fact that you have been saved. That you are saved not for this passing world before an eternal world which is your inheritance. Fix your mind on that and don't surrender it for anyone or anything. And only then does he say pick up a weapon. And again note how different that is from the spirit of the world around us whose first impulse is to grab the weapon. I feel threatened. Let me grab the weapon. I am angry. Let me grab the weapon. I feel overwhelmed. Let me grab the weapon so I can defend myself how by wielding it with reckless violence. And so note the apostle. The first thing you pick up is the truth upon which you stand. The next thing you pick up is that right living which keeps your character safe. Because character that is firm is proof against the spiritual and physical and moral attacks that come our way. St. Paul doesn't weaponize the faith. He doesn't weaponize the truth. He shows us how when our lives are founded on these things then we are truly protected. Then we are truly safe. And when we are protected by these things from the world and from the dark impulses of our own hearts then he says pick up the sword of the spirit. But it's not a sword that cuts physically, it's the word of God. That word which pierces through illusion and pierces through lies and reveals the truth of the heart and the truth of the situation. And that is the weapon, not anger. But the testimony that comes from what God has revealed because that is the only way to truly name reality for what it is and to show it forth. That is the only way to see clearly the path that we must walk and to guide us along it. It's not a weapon to overpower anyone. But it is that weapon that dispels the darkness that seeks to surround us. And as he speaks this way then note the vigor of this. As he speaks to this church which will know persecution which will be threatened with death. St. Paul says, first things first, if these pieces are in place you will be safe. Maybe not physically but everything important about who you are will in fact be safe with a safety that no one in this world can give except the Lord who has saved you. We see this in the life of Jesus in today's gospel reading. And note how it parallels what we hear from St. Paul. A group of Pharisees who as we know are usually out to get Jesus come up to him and they say, get out of here Jesus. Not because they're kicking him out. Get out of here because Herod wants to kill you. And so note again now the context, the mighty authority the ruling power of this world seeks your death. And so the Pharisees approach Jesus with this word of frightened concern. He is looking to kill you. Protect yourself. And why? Because at this point at least these Pharisees, whatever their issues are with Jesus, they're not looking to see him die. Get out of here. He is trying to kill you. And so now the Lord must respond to this voice of frightened concern. Save yourself. Protect yourself. Flee from the threat. And note the Lord's response because with his divine power he could also simply say, no I could take care of Herod tomorrow. And he doesn't do that either. And so note he doesn't use his divine power to eliminate the threat. Why? Because we live in a world that threatens us. We live in a world that surrounds us with threats on a daily basis. And so the Lord is going to show us how to stand firm against these things. If he takes them away from himself, he can't witness to anything. All he simply does is witness to how you eliminate stuff. And so he says, go and tell Herod this. And it's remarkable. Jesus is now giving the Pharisees a job. You guys go back to him. You heard this from somebody probably from him. You go and let him know, I'm not going anywhere. He can threaten. He can send his soldiers. But that will not stop me from doing what I must do. And so he says, look, I cast out demons. I work miracles. I preach today. And I'm going to do it again tomorrow. Note the insistence. What I do today, I will do tomorrow. The Lord insists he changes for no one. The Lord insists who I am today is who I will be tomorrow. What I do today, I will do tomorrow. I don't conform myself to the world around me. I move through it because I am here to save it. It doesn't frighten me because its threats cannot destroy me. Note the power of that. Who I am today, I will be tomorrow. What I do today, I'm doing it tomorrow. And on the third day, I will complete my purpose. In other words, I will be who I am. I will do what I do until the work is done because that's why I'm here. What a remarkably powerful statement. And it has several nuances to it because as he continues, he alludes to the fact that he is going to die. So on some levels, the Lord is saying, I'm not afraid that Herod wants to kill me. I am going to die. I have come to give my life. But Herod won't take it. And this is the other thing the Lord emphasizes. Jesus is not just another victim. Jesus' death is not a matter of circumstances. Jesus doesn't die because of political calculation. Jesus doesn't die because of Roman cruelty. Jesus doesn't die because his enemies arrest him and betray him. He doesn't die for those reasons. He dies because that's what he came to do. He will lay down his life and he will take it up on the third day. He has come to do this. The world around us likes to reduce Jesus' death to just a matter of circumstances, of worldly issues, worldly concerns, as if the world put him to death. And that is not what happens. Jesus retains his agency through this entire process. He can stop it anytime he desires. And yet he doesn't. Note how powerful that is. And it's precisely for this reason that he laments over the hard-hearted city of Jerusalem. You can hear the pain in his voice. It's not that I don't love you. The problem is you don't love me. It's not that I have not come for you. The problem is you turn your back to me. The issue is not that I don't want you. You don't want me. And this is the latest and the worst example of the many times the Lord has sent his prophet to you and you have killed him. And now the Lord comes himself and you hold death in your heart against him. But I will come. I will come and you will see me lifted up on that cross that saves the entire world. Oh, you will see me. And ultimately there will be that great and glorious day at the very end when you won't be able to miss me. You won't be able to ignore me because I will come again to complete everything. Jesus isn't just speaking about the historical moment of his death and resurrection here. He is also speaking past his resurrection into our present age. And what does he say? What I do today, I will be doing again tomorrow. And I will continue doing that until that moment comes when the work is complete. How wonderful we can reflect on that. That firmness of purpose of Christ that will not be dissuaded by any worldly concern, any worldly threat, because that same Jesus Christ is going to be right here. Right here on this altar and note when he is saying Herod won't turn me away, he saw you sitting here in the bench at this moment. And what he saw is he saw you was I am moving through all of this because I am coming to you. I am coming for you and to you. And so note, this Lord who moves firmly through Jerusalem, who dies, who rises, is here in the victory of his death and resurrection. And why is he here? He's giving himself to you. And what I do today, I'll do again tomorrow. Note how marvelous this is. The Lord gives himself today and the Lord will give himself tomorrow. And the Lord will continue doing this until that great and glorious day when he brings all things to completion in and through himself. And here we receive in this sacrament the very force of life of him who allows us to gird ourselves in the truth, who allows us to clothe ourselves in rightness of living, who makes us ready for the gospel of peace, in whom our faith is a sure and reliable shield against the angry darts of this world. He is that one who in giving us himself places the helmet of salvation on our heads. And he sends us forth with the sword of the Spirit, his word, his goodness, his teaching, not to attack the world, but to overcome it with right living found it on the truth and defend it in faith. Amen.