Saint Paul reminds us today to consider ourselves dead to sin but alive in God. We know that we still sin; it is because we do sin that God asks us to at least be grateful for His unending mercy.

We cannot be afraid to face the darkness of the evil one. Temptations seem real and very powerful, but, in reality, temptations are weak; the devil’s greatest weapon is deception, making sin seem as though it is irresistible when in fact the devil has no power at all, he has been conquered by Christ’s death on the Cross.

Whatever hardship we endure must be seen in the light of Jesus’ victory over sin and so we should be careful not be deceived into believing we are powerless against evil.  In Christ and with Him, we can conquer sin because Jesus died for just that reason.  The only thing we should be afraid of is the person “who can destroy the soul;” those who easily lead us into sins like gossip, lust, greed, envy, pride, anger, gluttony, and sloth.

Saint Bernadette Soubirous once prayed, “Lord, I do not ask that I never be afflicted, but only that You never abandon me in my affliction.”

Remember my friends that ‘the Lord is with you, like a mighty champion; your tempters will stumble, they will not triumph…run and you will not grow weary for God is your strength!’