St. Paul begins his letter to the Ephesians with the bottom line: “Brothers and sisters: Draw your strength from the Lord and from his mighty power.” He was helping them to be in the battle of life that we’re all a part of.
As I reflected on this and the strong metaphorical speech that follows, I was reminded of growing up as a Boston Bruins ice hockey fanatic.
Lessons from the Ice
Every boy in my neighborhood wanted to be Bobby Orr, Phil Esposito, Gerry Cheevers, or Terry O’Reilly.
We’d play street hockey and pick-up games on Sailor’s pond for hours but without helmets or shin guards, etc. and amazingly no emergency room visits come to mind; we had a lot urgent care done in our homes.
Years later, in my early 20s, I was invited to play in men’s hockey league on Saturday nights at 10 pm. And, for the first time, I put on the shin guards, shoulder pads, hockey pants and a helmet. I had never worn so much protective equipment in my life and I felt invincible.
Putting on the Armor of God
In a similar way, St. Paul is inviting us to recognize the battle between good and evil that exists both externally and internally and affects each one of us and our loved ones.
He is offering us both a warning and protection from the danger of evil when he says, “put on the armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the tactics of the Devil.”
The hockey gear we wore protected us much like Paul references when he speaks of standing fast with our loins girded in truth. That is the Truth of Jesus; clothed with righteousness as a breastplate, in doing what is good and holy, and feet shod in readiness for the Gospel of peace.
St. Paul also reminds us that our faith in God is our shield from evil, that includes a helmet of salvation and the powerful sword of the Word of God to cut through the lies of the Devil.
The Strength of Praying Together
And, finally, St. Paul directs the Ephesians and us to pray at every opportunity in the Spirit; not just for ourselves but all the holy ones. This means those who belong to God: our family members, friends, and neighbors.
This last part was at the heart of Father Peyton’s call to families to pray the Rosary together. It is a call to invite Jesus and Mary into their homes to be a source of strength, protection, and guidance.
At the end of his letter, St. Paul reveals that he too needs their prayers. For, Paul is in prison, an ambassador for Christ “in chains.”
In that statement, we can see that Paul and the Ephesians and we are in this battle together. St. Paul’s request can be our prayer, too: that we may have the words to share the mystery of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the courage to speak when needed for the good of our loved ones and neighbors, so that they, too, may know that we can all find strength and protection in the Lord each day.
.png)
