Matthew 13
I wish that the gospel passage we heard today may make you feel assured of your being as the children of the kingdom of heaven. But, unfortunately, this passage always makes me feel anxious. Because I don’t want to end up being a child of the evil one. But I am struggling with evil every single day.
There is no moment I can say there is no possibility of evil. When I speak to parishioners, when I drive, before my computer monitor, when I open my mobile phone, when I say the Mass, when I pray the Rosary, there is no safe moment I am free of evil.
Today Jesus tells us the evil one, Satan, sows the seed of weeds. I agree, because, ultimately, it is not human nature that desires evil. I often choose evil due to my faulty judgment. I may blame myself for this. However, the origin of intentional wickedness to destroy and harm is a mystery. It is not from the Lord. Then, is it from me? If I were created evil, then, I wouldn’t be to blame at all. Here lies the mystery of evil. The Bible teaches us about the evil one, the Devil, Satan. He rebels against the Lord. He wants to destroy God’s creation. He wants to deceive God’s children into his rebellious army.
Satan employs every single possible means to deceive us. He adopts supernatural ways as well as natural ways. He threatens as well as lures. He uses emotion as well as reason. He manipulates spirit as well as psychology. He stimulates the soul as well as the flesh. He interferes with solitude as well as relationships. He tricks consciousness as well as subconsciousness. As long as the Lord is with us, Satan is around to snatch us. As much as the Lord is present in all places, so much Satan is lurking around there.
Can I ever be out of Satan’s sight? This is why we want to put on Christ. This is why we hide in the wounds of Christ. To be out of Satan’s sight, we need to keep looking at the Lord. Our Lord always looks at us. But as soon as Christ is out of my sight, I fall into the darkness. There, Satan whispers to my senses. I turn my eyes to the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. It looks good for my flesh, soul, and spirit. But how can I see right good and evil when I am already in darkness?
