In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Let us remember that we are in the presence of a holy God.
Find your treasure in the Lord today.
Take one minute of silence now, praying for God’s blessing on you, your family, fraternity, and all Exodus Men.
St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle.
Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the Devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly hosts, by the power of God, cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits, who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.
In one hour all this wealth has been laid waste.
# A Reading from the Book of Revelation
And the merchants of the earth weep and mourn for her, since no one buys their cargo any more, cargo of gold, silver, jewels and pearls, fine linen, purple, silk and scarlet, all kinds of scented wood, all articles of ivory, all articles of costly wood, bronze, iron and marble, cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, frankincense, wine, oil, fine flour and wheat, cattle and sheep, horses and chariots, and slaves, that is, human souls.
“The fruit for which your soul longed has gone from you, and all your delicacies and your splendor are lost to you, never to be found again!”
The merchants of these wares, who gained wealth from her, will stand far off, in fear of her torment, weeping and mourning aloud, “Alas, alas, for the great city that was clothed in fine linen, in purple and scarlet, adorned with gold, with jewels, and with pearls!
In one hour all this wealth has been laid waste.”
# Reflection
The temptations of the harlot have been laid bare.
All of her wealth has vanished.
Yet, in the moment of temptation, the desire for earthly goods can seem overpowering.
St. Paul has to remind us that “no temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man.
God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your strength, but with the temptation will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it” (1 Corinthians 10:13).
Temptations are not new, although they may be more prevalent and pervasive today.
The harlot may be overthrown by God in the end, though she continues to press herself against us every day.
Our guardian angels are there to support us and can come to us with protection in temptation.
One miraculous example of God’s protection can be seen in The Little Flowers of St. Francis.
During his St. Michael’s Lent, St. Francis was attacked by the devil in an intense fashion, although God preserved him:
>St. Francis began the holy fast with great abstinence and severity, mortifying his body and comforting his spirit with fervent prayers, watchings (prayer through the night), and scourgings; and ever increasing from virtue to virtue in these prayers, he made ready his soul to receive the divine mysteries and divine splendors, and his body to endure the cruel assaults of the devils, wherewith he was ofttimes smitten corporeally; and among other times, on a day during that fast, as St. Francis issued from his cell in fervor of spirit, and went to pray hard by in a hollow cave in the rock, at a great height from the ground and looking on a horrible and fearful abyss, suddenly the devil comes in a terrible form, with storm and mighty ruin, and smites him to thrust him down the abyss.
Whereat St. Francis, having nowhere to flee, and being unable to suffer the cruel aspect of the devil, anon turned with hands and face and all his body close to the rock, commending himself to God, and groping about with his hands, if haply he might find anything to cling to.
But, as it pleased God, who never allows His servants be tempted beyond what they can endure, straightway the rock, whereto he clung, was hollowed out by a miracle to the form of his body, and received him into itself, in such wise that the said rock was imprinted with the form of the face and the hands of St. Francis, as if he had pressed his hands and face against melted wax; and thus, with God’s help, he escaped from the devil.
Although it is very unlikely that we ever will see the devil manifest before us in visible form, we nonetheless experience his temptations and attacks.
God’s protection of St. Francis is a sign for us as well.
He will be with us.
He will give us a means of escape.
We have to turn to him in prayer and refuse the temptation at hand.
Today, pray for the intercession of St. Francis and the protection of St. Michael.
In one hour all this wealth has been laid waste.
Let us pray.
Lord, deliver us from all evil and give us your strength to withstand temptation. Help us to grow in our love and trust in you. Amen.
Saint Michael the archangel, pray for us.
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
