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February 4

Discerning the Enemy

The world is shaped by goodness but pocketed by evil. Grace abounds but evil lies close at hand. God is present but the

enemy of our souls waits in the wings.

We have seen amazing scientific progress during this past century. But this has also been a time of terrible wars and atrocities. Goodness and evil are clearly part of the human condition. To think otherwise is to live in unreality.

This double movement is also evident in the spiritual realm. The Holy Spirit ever brooding and life-giving brings peace and hope into our world. Evil spirits bring fear and chaos.

One of the desert fathers made this observation: “Whatsoever things are from God, have their spring in humbleness; but such things as spring from authority and anger and strife, these are from the Enemy.”35 Sadly, both forces impact us and both bring forth very different fruit.

Thus we are invited into the art of careful discernment. Understanding the ways of God, we are called to discern the work of the Enemy who sows discord and fear.

The testimony of the desert fathers and mothers is clear: the greater the awareness of God, the greater the watchfulness for the ways of the Evil one.

Reflection

True seeing involves seeing that which negates and destroys and seeing what brings life and hope.