Dear Family of God,

Experience has shown that most Christians desire so much to do God’s will but often find themselves resisting Him. Anyone who has been through this experience knows it can sometimes be overwhelming. The remedy to this conflict is Surrender. Lent is a good time to seek this grace.

Two of the most influential works of Western Civilization are “The Odyssey” and “The Iliad” by the Greek writer Homer. They are illustrative of the two great metaphors for life: The Odyssey explores life “as a journey”, while the Iliad sees life “as a battle.” The revelation of the Christian faith makes plain the battle of our lives. It is a battle between good and evil, between God and Satan, between the Spirit and the Flesh.

Dear Family of God,

In recent times, I have been asked by some well-meaning Catholics if the wars and persecution of Christians around the world is a sign of the end time? I found a good response to this concern in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraphs 675-677.

In the first chapter of the Gospel of Mark we encounter Jesus in a Capernaum’ synagogue casting out a demon (what the bible calls an “unclean spirit”) from a man. The demon recognizes Jesus immediately, both who he is, and the power that he has over him. That power is demonstrated when Jesus expels the fallen angel.

When we see Gospel stories like this one, we may be tempted to think that this sort of demonic influence no longer takes place in our modern scientific times. On the other hand, some people can become overly enamored with the devil and demonic activity. They can ascribe too much power to evil influence that can breed a fear and despair in those who believe it. What is the appropriate response to the demonic?