Chess is a popular game that is loved and played by millions around the globe. It is a two-player strategy board game that is played on a chess board. The game of chess brings alive a war on the board with clever strategies and witty planning with constant movements. It’s a sort of a battle that rages strongly, a combat that is highly engrossing. It is a battle of minds, where each move is calculated, and the goal is to checkmate the opponent. Interestingly, our Christian lives can be likened to this game. We are engaged in a spiritual warfare, a constant struggle between good and evil, where the stakes are high, and the consequences eternal. But unlike a game of chess, this battle is not a mere fiction; it is real, it is alive, and it involves every aspect of our lives.
God Is Not Just for Special Occasions
Yesterday we returned to Ordinary Time in the Church’s liturgical calendar. The shift in our liturgical season, from the festive gold and white to the ordinary green, reminds us that God’s presence isn’t confined to special occasions. He meets us in the everyday, in the ordinary moments of our lives. Just as Jesus entered the synagogue on a regular Sabbath, He enters our daily routines.
As Jesus teaches in the synagogue, the people are captivated by His words. Jesus’s teaching were not mere words; it was imbued with power and conviction. This resonates with the idea that genuine belief overflows into action. When we are truly passionate about our faith, it transforms our lives. This powerful teaching, however, stirred something within the man with the unclean spirit. Where there is light, darkness cannot endure. The man cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth?”
Called To Do More
This cry is not unique to that man. We, too, often echo this sentiment. When confronted with the needs of others while comfortably settled in our own lives, do we not sometimes resist the call to compassion? When confronted with our own sinfulness, do we not sometimes reject the gentle reminders to seek repentance? When invited to deepen our spiritual lives, do we not sometimes turn away from the path of prayer and the sacraments? We resist change, and when the truth confronts us, we get agitated, we become restless, and we push back.
We Cannot Be Passive
But Jesus, with authority and power, responds: “Quiet! Come out of him.” He silences the evil spirit and frees the man. And this is what Jesus wants to do for us. He wants to quiet the chaos in our lives, to expel the darkness and to set us free.
Brothers and sisters, our lives are a battleground. We are in constant warfare with the forces of evil, and we cannot afford to be passive. We must not allow the enemy to checkmate us.
May we live out our faith with conviction and passion, allowing the Lord’s words to penetrate our hearts and guide our actions. Let us not resist His call but embrace His power to overcome the darkness and walk in the light of His love.
- Father Boby's inspirational homily was recorded live during Mass at the Father Peyton Center this morning. You can view the Mass (and the Rosary at the 30-minute mark) on the Family Rosary YouTube page.
- To join the Rosary and Mass Livestream, visit the Family Rosary YouTube or Facebook page at 11:30 a.m. Eastern, Monday – Friday. Consider inviting others to join too! (*If you are not a member of Facebook and a signup window appears, simply select the X at the top of the pop-up message and continue to the livestream.)
