Captured by Love: Baptism’s Victory Over Evil

Almighty and ever-living God, who sent your Son into the world to drive out from us the power of Satan, the spirit of evil.”

Last weekend we began a four-week homily series on the Sacrament of Baptism. We began by speaking of baptism in terms of creation. In this we focused on the good and loving God who didn’t simply make us, but created us, you and me, as the highlight of all He made. Further, He made us for the primary purpose of loving Him. To love Him, we need to understand love. We said this can only happen when we are in relationships: a relationship with God and relationships with others. And so God made us to be in relationship. The sacrament of Baptism furthers us in our relationship with God and brings us into relationship with the Church. The Church helps us grow in relationship with others, among other things. 

This weekend, we move from the joy of creation to the stark reality of the presence of the enemy, and the term we are using is “captured.” Within the Sacrament of Baptism, there are a number of times when we acknowledge the reality of evil and Satan. However, we do so in the context of hope. Satan is often depicted as being God’s rival as if the two were on the same playing field, or to think in terms of, say, boxers, in the same weight division. But they are not. 

God did not create evil. Evil came into existence. God created both humans and angels. To both, he gave free will. When Satan chose evil over goodness, he didn’t become greater, stronger, or on par with God. 

But evil is strong and can create havoc in our lives if we do not choose to follow Jesus. Fortunately, we have the grace of baptism, which enlivens us with the power of the Holy Spirit and lessens our attraction to evil. In addition, we have Jesus. If not for his death and resurrection, we would find entrance into heaven as difficult as this week’s Gospel reading tells us: like a camel passing through the eye of a needle, as impossible as that is. 

If Satan were God’s equal, we would need to worry. Knowing of the reality of evil, what a blessing we have in that someone, God, has done something about it. Baptism highlights the presence of evil but doesn’t leave us without hope.

Separate Item

In recent days we have heard of the devastation brought on by hurricane Helene and now hurricane Milton. Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA) is the official Catholic relief agency when disasters like these strike our nation. If you would like to make a donation to CCUSA, we can help. Simply turn cash or check into the parish in an envelope marked CCUSA or hurricane relief. We will forward your gift on to the Diocese who will in turn forward a check to CCUSA for hurricane relief.

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