Satan works very hard to create a wedge in our relationship with God. God created us out of love, and He created us in his own likeness. One of the essences of this is we are meant to have a deep relationship with our Almighty Father. Satan has nothing except intense jealous for us. Satan has since the beginning used his tricks to endanger and sever this relationship. He was successful in the Fall of our first parents – Adam and Eve.
God wants us to continue to grow in faith, hope and love. He desires us to know his son Jesus, more deeply and intimately. Satan on the other hand, works hard to lead us off course and fall out of step with Christ. As we grow in spiritual life, Satan becomes more insistent in his attacks and tactics. Sometimes, his attacks are so subtle, it requires our ability to discern if it is indeed good or evil:
It is characteristic of God and his angels, by the motions they cause, to give genuine happiness and spiritual joy, and thereby to banish any sadness and turmoil induced by the enemy. It is characteristic of the enemy to fight against this happiness and spiritual consolation, by using specious reasonings, subtleties, and persistent deceits (Spiritual Exercise 329)
Hence, we must never stop praying, for it is our souls calling to God. With time and experience, we learn to “follow the lead of the good spirit and, conversely, to resist acting on the movement of the evil spirit” (The Ignatian Adventure, pg. 148)
Gospel Mt 26:14-25
The Betrayal by Judas.
14 Then one of the Twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests15 and said, “What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?” They paid him thirty pieces of silver, 16 and from that time on he looked for an opportunity to hand him over.
Preparations for the Passover.
17 On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the disciples approached Jesus and said, “Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?” 18 He said, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The teacher says, “My appointed time draws near; in your house I shall celebrate the Passover with my disciples.”’” 19 The disciples then did as Jesus had ordered, and prepared the Passover.
The Betrayer.
20 When it was evening, he reclined at table with the Twelve. 21 And while they were eating, he said, “Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” 22 Deeply distressed at this, they began to say to him one after another, “Surely it is not I, Lord?” 23 He said in reply, “He who has dipped his hand into the dish with me is the one who will betray me. 24 The Son of Man indeed goes, as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. It would be better for that man if he had never been born.” 25 Then Judas, his betrayer, said in reply, “Surely it is not I, Rabbi?” He answered, “You have said so.”
God Bless 💖
Be Inspired! 