Savage Wolves and the Evil One

Homily for Wednesday of the Seventh Week in the Easter

The Scripture readings for today mention savage wolves and the Evil One. Both St. Paul and Jesus warn their disciples to be aware of the threats that are present as they tend the flock over which God has placed them as pastors.

Only God can create. However, we can take the good created by God and turn it away from the good for which it was intended. Evil can creep into even the good we seek to do if that good is not directed by and toward God. As we walk the road of faith, we will encounter both the savage wolves and the works of evildoers.

We would be foolish to take no heed of St. Paul’s admonition or to fail to grasp Jesus’ meaning as he is heard to pray to the Father. Indeed, in both instances we come to realize that we need to cultivate a rich relationship with God through prayer – to pray for ourselves and one another. Jesus and St. Paul want us to be safe. They want us to be unperturbed by those who may pervert the truth. To be so requires that we invest time in prayer, in reading the Scriptures, and from following the example of the saints and the holy men and women who have come before us. This means that we must set aside time to reflect, to step back and allow God to guide our thoughts and actions.

The last line of today’s Gospel text assures us that Christ will be with us as we make this pilgrimage or journey through life. He has consecrated us and sent us to speak a living word, and he invites us to share in his joy that we might be consecrated in truth.