This quote has been very much on my mind recently: "Take heed therefore that you walk carefully, not as unwise but as wise, redeeming the time because the days are evil. Because of this, do not be foolish but understand what the will of God is" (Ephesians 5:15-17).
EVIL DAYS
St. Paul wrote that to the Ephesians in the first century and the word of God would say the same thing to us today, when "the days are evil," to be sure! Just a few examples from many that could be given...
Crime - always a problem - has skyrocketed exponentially in just the last few years. There are wars and threats of wars around the globe as Communism and militant Islam both grow even more aggressive. The Church continues to be riddled with reports of scandals and cover-ups. Currently, there are accounts of high-ranking cardinals and bishops publicly denying divinely-revealed doctrinal and moral truths. Attacks on churches and pro-life centers occur so frequently that they hardly make news any more. There are even credible reports that the FBI has investigated some faithful Catholics for being domestic terrorists! The battles over abortion continue to rage. A militant movement is pushing homosexuality and transgenderism into elementary schools. And public libraries host "drag queen story hours" for kids. Truly, the days are evil indeed!
Yet there seem to be those among us who still deny or dismiss the obvious, who ignore plain facts, and who are seemingly blind to the evil in the world. However, the word of God in Scripture gives us a realistic picture of the world we live in - not the world that God created good, but the world that is corrupted by sin and is under the power of the Evil One (cf. 1 John 5:19). St. Paul says that even creation is "groaning" until it is set free from bondage (cf. Romans 8:21). Our society and culture are fallen, due to sin, and are therefore alienated from God.
THE WORD OF GOD ON THE WORLD
The gospel of John tells us that the world does not acknowledge the Father or Jesus. In fact, the world actually hates Jesus! the world is under judgment and cannot receive the Spirit of truth. Jesus makes it clear that he does not belong to the world but rather has overcome the world.
St. Paul indicates that sin entered the world, and through sin, death. He also says that this sinful world is under the judgment of God. Paul exhorts us not to be conformed to the world. In fact, we are to be crucified to the world and not to live as though we belonged to this world at all.
The Letter of James warns us to keep ourselves unstained by this world and, in an especially strong statement, says that friendship with the world is hostility to God. Think about that...to be a friend of the world actually means to be an enemy of God! There is nothing worse than that.
The First Letter of John commands us not to love the world nor the things in the world. It also encourages us, telling us that our faith overcomes the world, because we know that we are of God and the whole world is in the power of the evil one.
According to the Second Letter of Peter, we are to pray that we may escape the corruption of the world.
I came across a saying recently that summarizes what our attitude should be: "I would rather stand with God's word and be judged by the world, than stand with the world and be judged by God's word."
THE BIG PICTURE
I also felt like the Lord was saying something to me about the "Big Picture." I'm not exactly sure what that means, but I suppose it might refer to the global warfare between God and Satan, or St. Michael and his angels against the devil and his fallen angels, depicted in Revelation 12. It can be discouraging to us because at times it may appear that the enemy is gaining ground. It does seem, especially in recent times, that the world is converting the members of the Church more than the Church is converting the world!
However, we do have the assurance that, in the end, "The kingdom of this world will become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever" (Rev. 11:15). Until then we have to live in the world without being of the world (cf. John 17:14-16), and use this world as though we used it not (cf. 1 Cor. 7:31).
WHO WINS?
The are two more verses concerning Christ's victory that I will leave you with, both from Revelations. In 5:5 we read: "The Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered." And in 17:14 it says: "They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings..."
Jesus is both the Lamb of God and the Lion of Judah. He has conquered and will conquer. Those who follow him will also win the victory. Alleluia!