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Ephesians 6: 10-20
Brothers and sisters:
Draw your strength from the Lord and from his mighty power.
Put on the armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm
against the tactics of the Devil.
For our struggle is not with flesh and blood
but with the principalities, with the powers,
with the world rulers of this present darkness,
with the evil spirits in the heavens.
Therefore, put on the armor of God,
that you may be able to resist on the evil day
and, having done everything, to hold your ground.
So stand fast with your loins girded in truth,
clothed with righteousness as a breastplate,
and your feet shod in readiness for the Gospel of peace.
In all circumstances, hold faith as a shield,
to quench all the flaming arrows of the Evil One.
And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit,
which is the word of God.
With all prayer and supplication,
pray at every opportunity in the Spirit.
To that end, be watchful with all perseverance and supplication
for all the holy ones and also for me,
that speech may be given me to open my mouth,
to make known with boldness the mystery of the Gospel
for which I am an ambassador in chains,
so that I may have the courage to speak as I must.
The Word of the Lord.
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In ages past, battles were fought in hand-to-hand combat. While some soldiers received an added layer of protection by hiding behind canons, riding on ships, or occasionally high on a horse, most confronted their enemy face-to-face.
That’s where battles were fought and won, on the front lines.
Key to any soldier’s defense was a sword forged in steel, a helmet, and a breastplate thick enough to withstand powerful blows from an enemy.
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In our first reading, Saint Paul uses this type of military imagery to describe a Christian soul’s journey through life – riddled with temptations – as we strive for greater unity with God.
“Put on the armor of God,” he says, “do everything to hold your ground. Stand fast with your loins girded in truth, clothed with righteousness as a breastplate. In all circumstances, hold faith as a shield.”
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Of these three things – a sword, a helmet, and a breastplate, the breastplate is the most important spiritually, as it protects the heart. That, in the Old Testament, is considered to be, “the seat of all intention.”
The heart is where we fight a very personal battle for grace versus sin, virtue versus vice.
As a priest, I’m reminded of this battle for my affection prior to celebrating every Mass. While putting on my vestments, there are a few prayers I’m invited to pray, the first words being these:
“Cleanse me, O LORD, and purify my heart, that washed in the Blood of the Lamb, I may attain everlasting joy.”
You might say, using Paul’s imagery, “Give me, O LORD, the ‘breastplate of righteousness,’ of holiness and purity of heart, that I may do your will today.”
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What people, thoughts, or habits fight for my affection? How do we fill our heart with good and guard against evil?
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As another day begins, may we put on the breastplate of righteousness, protecting the one thing God wants from us, our heart.
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Image credits: (1) Adobe Stock (2) Franciscan Media (3) Psalm 51:10 WordPress