In the first reading, St. Paul tells us that “no one but the Spirit of God knows the secrets of God.” It is the Spirit of God through whom we know God. It is the Spirit of God who teaches us about God in our personal and communal prayer. It is the Spirit of God who inspired the writers of Sacred Scripture. It is in the Scriptures that God reveals himself to you as our almighty Creator, merciful Father, saving Redeemer and faithful Friend. In the Scriptures we get to know his Son Jesus so that we could love, imitate and follow him.

In the Gospel reading, Jesus uses his power to free a man possessed by an evil spirit. The Church affirms for us the reality of Satan and of evil. In his public ministry Jesus in so many occasions freed people of afflictions caused by evil spirits. By being tempted by the devil at the beginning of his public ministry, he showed us his humanity and taught us how to oppose evil.

In his letter to the Church at Ephesus, St. Paul wrote, “Be strong in the Lord with his energy and strength. Put on the armor of God to be able to resist the cunning of the devil. Our battle is not against human forces but against the rulers and authorities and their dark powers that govern this world. We are struggling against the spirits and supernatural forces of evil” (Eph 6: 10 – 12) And we are strong when God is with us.