Who is our enemy? And with what weapons do we fight?
A Word of Hope for Oct 29, Thursday of the 30th Week in Ordinary Time by Fr. Samuel Hakeem, OP, Promoter of Vocations for the Province of St. Albert the Great, coming from Galena, Illinois.
If we're honest, most of us carry a long list of enemies — some we name openly, others we fight against without even realizing it. But in today's first reading from Ephesians, St. Paul reminds us that we really have only one enemy, and it is not anyone here on this earth.
"Our struggle is not with flesh and blood, but with the principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness." The one true enemy is the devil — the one who divides, who wants to see us cast out and apart from one another. God, on the other hand, is the God of love: the one who unites, who draws in, who holds together.
In today's reflection, we walk through the armor of God piece by piece — truth, righteousness, the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit — and discover that these elements of faith are exactly what hold us together and keep our eyes on who the real enemy is.
Today's invitation: The next time you catch yourself turning someone into an enemy, take a step back. Remember that the devil wins when we divide. Then turn to prayer — for that person, for a solution, and for a conversion of heart, both for ourselves and for those who oppose us. When we focus on our true enemy and our true Savior, we can act rightly in this world and seek paths to lasting peace.
⏱️ CHAPTERS
0:00 – Who is our enemy?
0:18 – Our long list of enemies
0:36 – Paul's reminder: we have only one enemy
0:49 – "Our struggle is not with flesh and blood"
1:11 – The devil divides; God unites
1:48 – What is the armor of God?
2:16 – How faith holds us together
2:33 – When you catch yourself making an enemy
3:04 – Seeking solutions that endure and paths to peace
📖 TODAY'S READINGS
Thursday of the 30th Week in Ordinary Time
Ephesians 6:10-20 – Put on the armor of God
Luke 13:31-35 – Jesus laments over Jerusalem
🙏 A Word of Hope is a short daily reflection on the Scriptures, offered to help you carry one word of hope into your day.
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