now he waits until his enemies are made his footstool.
This battle is happening now. It is playing out in our lives. We know we are in a battle, "[f]or our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms" (see Ephesians 6:12). There are real enemy forces against whom we fight. We take these forces captive for Christ.
"For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ" (see Second Corinthians 10:3-5)
The reward to those who compete well is eternal glory. It is a crown of righteousness (see Second Timothy 4:8). They shall "shine brightly like the splendor of the firmament". Failure is not an option we want to consider. It is everlasting horror and disgrace.
Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake;
some shall live forever,
others shall be an everlasting horror and disgrace.
We do not fight with our own weapons. We do not fight with our own strength. And we do not fight alone.
At that time there shall arise
Michael, the great prince,
guardian of your people
Hence there is nothing at all for us to fear. None of this relies on us. We just need to choose the winning side and avail ourselves of the resources freely offered.
Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world (see First John 4:4).
Let us welcome the help of our mighty allies like Saint Michael. Let us use our weapons, especially the Scriptures, the sword of the Spirit to cut the enemy to shreds when he tries to claim our hearts for himself. And let us rejoice in Christ. For in him, especially in the Eucharist, we already have a foretaste of victory.
You will show me the path to life,
fullness of joys in your presence,
the delights at your right hand forever.
If we already begin to experience his victory than we have nothing to fear from its consummation.
And then they will see 'the Son of Man coming in the clouds'
with great power and glory,
and then he will send out the angels
and gather his elect from the four winds,
from the end of the earth to the end of the sky.
At a certain point, I should just offer playlists..
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