A Homily for the Third Sunday after Epiphany

+ Evil is a reality that needs to be dealt with - as Saint Paul makes very clear in the epistle of this Holy Mass. Whilst it will ever strive to take the upper hand in the world, it cannot overcome God. God will have His vengeance at the proper time. We must do all in our strength, with the help of grace, to overcome the evil. We cannot react against it, and where measures are needed to stop the evil, they are to be proportionate. This is best assured by a third party. When God judges the just repayment of good and evil our response to the situation will also be taken into measure. By doing good to someone who persecutes us, we “shall heap coals of fire upon his head.” Yet the Apostle does not intend us to seek that evil upon another but rather to overcome the evil of that enmity by doing good.

St Paul is directing us to seek peace with all men so that we can further develop in virtue under the guidance of the Holy Ghost. We should not, however, confuse this peace of Christ with that peace which the world offers (cf. John 14:27). This is the peace which allows the martyrs to fully embrace their persecution praying for those who persecute them. For the physical violence committed against them does not destroy their peace. Rather they rejoiced to confess Christ, who is the Truth, and to lay down their lives in love of Him.

In what does peace consist if it cannot be shaken by violence committed against us? It is from knowing that we are doing everything within our power to glorify the Most Holy Trinity. Doing this, as the Apostle knows better than most (cf. II Cor 11:26), does not allow us peace with all men. Whilst we do not take revenge ourselves, we must defend the innocent. Whilst this is usually understood as being against the attacks of physical aggressors, we are in a world where the innocent are being ravished by a far greater predator. They are being driven towards a subjectivism which allows anything except the Law of God.

Perverting the moral law, is a far more serious evil than a mere physical act. This is the act which is proper to the devil for he is truly the father of lies. It teaches others that there is no problem with committing evils that lead directly to hell. With every new sin that is accepted there is a readiness to accept the next which is far more grave, for often they are not greatly different at the philosophical level, which is soon followed psychologically.

Whilst man is weak and will do what he does not want to do, or fails to do that which he wishes (Romans 7:15), this requires that he know what he ought to do in order to do it. Even with the best will a man who is malformed cannot be relied upon to act according to truth. Even with the best will, if he is taught that a given sin is acceptable, he will be ready to commit that sin. Whilst this unquestionably reduces the culpability of the sin, it is still sin. Moreover, not every ignorance is innocent. Just as one cannot hold a profession without the requisite qualifications to do the job, so are all men required, in so far as they are capable, to search for the truth. And not only to seek the truth but to act according to its demands.
Whilst we may not be able to prevent the majority teaching evil, nor hide from their predominant propaganda, we can, nonetheless, seek to overcome them by doing what is good.

In the first instance we must recognise that it is not flesh and blood we are fighting but powers, principalities, and the rulers of this world of darkness (cf. Ephesians 6:12). The first and most powerful of techniques the devil uses is to convince people he does not exist. Protecting the most vulnerable in society from this illusion must be a priority. But we must also realise that we are not alone. All the ranks of angels and saints are lined up in their hierarchies after Christ ready to protect us from his menaces should we but call on them.

Our prayer, however, should not then be for ourselves alone but for those who have fallen because of the lies of the devil to commit evil, even if through ignorance. For most of us prayer is the most efficacious manner in which we can overcome the evil through good, yet it is not the only way. By ever seeking to integrate more completely the saving truth of Christ into our lives, and thereby demonstrating the one true good, we can teach by word and example those around us how much better it is to follow Christ. By leading those around us to the Church wherein is found the grace unto salvation through the sacraments, we will heap ever more burning coals on the devil’s head through the envy of seeing men being raised unto the glory of God.

As we partake in the only event with the power to destroy evil, the self-sacrifice of Christ for us, present on the Altar, let us be filled with dispositions of trust in His saving Majesty no matter what trials may befall us. Let it ever recall the true nature of our struggle against sin, which is the one true evil, and renew our resolve of conversion to God’s ways, that each of us might be a witness to His truth. We shall then truly glorify His Name. +