He appointed Twelve, whom he also named Apostles, that they might be with him and he might send them forth to preach and to have authority to drive out demons. [Mark 3:14–15]
The Twelve
Apostles were first called by Jesus and then sent to preach with authority. The
authority they were given was for the purpose of driving out demons.
Demons are
fallen angels. But even in their fallen
state, they retain the natural powers they have, such as the power of influence
and suggestion. They seek to communicate
with us to deceive us and draw us away from Christ. The good angels, of course, also exercise this
same natural power for our good. Our
guardian angels, for example, constantly seek to communicate to us the truths
of God and His grace. The angelic battle
for good and evil is real, and as Christians we must be aware of this reality.
One of the
greatest ways to confront Satan and his demons is to listen to the Truth and to
proclaim it with the authority of Christ. Though the Apostles were given a special
authority for their preaching, every Christian, by virtue of their Baptism and
Confirmation, is entrusted with the message of the Gospel to proclaim in
various ways. And with that authority,
we must constantly strive to bring forth the Kingdom of God. Doing so will have a direct impact on diminishing
the kingdom of Satan.
Each of us
has a duty to share the Gospel with others. Sometimes this is done by an explicit sharing
of the message of Jesus Christ, as I try to do with my simple daily reflections,
and at other times the message is shared more by our actions and virtue (I fall
way too short in this regard). But every
Christian is entrusted with this mission and must learn to fulfill that mission
with true authority, knowing that as that authority from Christ is exercised,
the Kingdom of God increases and the activity of the evil one is overcome.
My
all-powerful Lord, I thank You for the grace You have given me to proclaim the
truth of Your saving message to those whom I encounter every day. Help me to
fulfill my mission to preach in both word and deed and to do so with the gentle
yet powerful authority given me by You. I offer myself to Your service, dear
Lord. Do with me as You will. Jesus, I trust in You.
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