The Sunday Sermon Archive

Dear Friend,

As we pass through the storms of this life we are often brought to the understanding that we are perishing. All looks useless or hopeless. And we are often tempted to give up and despair. But, if we cooperate with the grace and faith we have been given, we will soon discover that God's grace is sufficient for us. We are able to bear all things, do all things etc. when Christ is living and working through us.

It was a very frightening thing to be in that boat in the midst of the storm, but it was all for a good purpose. God had arranged and brought the entire episode about. It was His will (either His active will or His permissive will). In either case He is able to draw good from it. And now the apostles' faith is a bit more strengthened.

God does the same for us today. How often do we find ourselves in situations were we are tempted to wonder: "Where is God? Why is He not doing something about this?" God is here and He is still in control. Often the only thing that is lacking is our faith.

God allows evil to befall us so that we might be tried and made all the stronger. God often even allows us to falter and fail so that we will rise even stronger and wiser. What does a man know unless he has been tried?

We see the storms of evil all around us. The devils are bold and brazen. They are out in the open publicly selling their infernal wares (spells, potions and magic). The devils have something for everyone no matter what his illicit desire or perversion. They publish their daily horoscopes and entice the unwary gradually into their nets.

With the celebration of Halloween we see the evil, dark and demonic out in the open and openly promoted. And "Christians" act as if this is all normal.

We see the legalization and increase of abortion; we see the rise in missing and exploited children; we see the increase of children in non "nuclear families" (father, mother, and child); we see the increase in drugs, violence and murder; we see an increase in possession and obsession; we see the increase of pornography, fornication, adultery, and the sex-slave trade; and we see the almost total destruction of matrimony (as God intended it). These are only some of the physical aspects of the demonic run rampant in the world today. There is the whole other side to this in the spiritual realm. The destruction of souls is an even more terrifying spectacle to behold — for those who are able to see and comprehend it.

Truly, we are in a terrible raging storm. Not a storm of winds and waves, but one that is much worse, it is a storm of all manner of evils being constantly hurled against us without any reprieve. We can truly say with the Apostles in that boat: "Lord, save us, we perish." We know that we are unable to stand up against this assault on our own, so we are forced to call upon God for help. Only those who are blind to the attack or have already succumbed to it do not feel the need to call out for help.

Let us pray with even greater fervor as our eyes are truly opened up to this storm of evil all around us, but let us also remember to have faith and trust in God. We should not be calling out because of a lack of faith, but because we are commanded to pray and ask for that which we need _ specifically our spiritual needs. Our Lord has instructed us to seek first the kingdom of Heaven and Its justice and everything else will be given us besides.

We are in the midst of this spiritual battle for our immortal souls and it is a very frightening time, but it is the best time of life because this is the time that God has given us. We have been chosen from all eternity to be present in this day and age and to not only witness this raging storm of demonic evil, but most importantly to do our part in the little battles and therefore in the great war.

We have heard the directives many times before but, now is the time that we must truly take them to heart before it becomes "too late". Let us fast, pray, give alms and do all the good that we can so that God will be honored and souls will be saved. God has placed us here not just so that we can pass through as inconspicuously as possible, but He expects us to do our part in the eternal fight against Lucifer and all the fallen angels and their cohorts.

Let us call upon Christ with faith knowing that He is still in charge and that everything will work for His honor and glory no matter how dark the clouds of evil may be. Let us always beg for the grace to persevere in this fight with faith and love of God so that we will be on the victorious side when this raging war comes to an end.

Franciscan Benefactor Seraph Subscription Vocations Have you remembered God?