Readings:
Ephesians 6:101-16
Luke 13:31-35
Reflection
The Armor Of God Is Strange!
Once again Paul is in prison—a regular jailbird. He pays attention to the dress of his guards, probably Roman Soldiers, looking “brass impregnable” to his eye.
Perhaps he hears in his mind an echo of his beloved Isaiah, and he recalls “the armor of God;” (Isaiah 59:16), wherein God arms himself with breast plate, sword and helmet, to avenge His faithless people, “in whom there was no saving grace.”
What did Paul’s converts have to deal with? The “principalities and the ruling forces who are the Masters of the Darkness of the World and the Spirit of Evil in the Heavens.” (Sounds familiar!)
He told his Ephesians that they must put on the Armor of God, “stand your ground” with Truth your belt, uprightness your breast plate, shoes on your feet to spread the gospel of Peace, and a shield of faith to deflect the flaming arrows of the Evil One “with the Helmet of Salvation and sword of the Spirit, the word of God”
As a local pastor, Matt Fitzgerald, reflected, “Strange armor indeed! This is an armor that lets in more than it keeps out!”
Can we stand our ground with confidence in our armor?
David Peter Folkes is a former Passionist Priest who resigned and married with 2 children and 2 grandchildren living in Chicago. He is mostly involved with refugee resettlement and racial equity issues.