The Wiles and Tricks of the Devil

 

Reflection on Today's Readings, Friday, 5th Week in Ordinary Time, Year 1, February 12th, 2021

Texts: Gen. 3:1-8; Ps. 32:1-2.5-7; Mark 7:31-37

Man fell, he fell from his exalted position, he fell to the tricks of the ancient serpent, called the Satan or the Devil. Today's first reading is not just a story of the fall of man, but a story meant to reveal the wiles and the tricks of the Devil; it exposes his secret to put him under our subjection; it reveals his mode of operation, that we may have victory over him. Hence, it is a story that empowers us to put the devil under our subjection and to conquer him. 

It is said, "The serpent was more subtle than any other wild creature that the Lord God had made". The serpent is more subtle because he has a fine way of deceiving man or leading man into sin; he knows how to make sin appealing and attractive to us. Hence, it is said, "But the serpent said to the woman, You will not die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil'." What he does is to repackage sin and present it to us as good. He presents it to us in a way that it stirs our emotions, and blinds our reason. For it is said, "So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruits and ate." He shifted the attention of the woman from pleasing God to pleasing herself, to satisfy her desire for food and intellectual curiosity. She forgot that God could satisfy her needs; God who caused the tree of knowledge and evil to grow could also give knowledge and satisfy our hunger. Knowledge is not dependent on eating the fruits of the tree; the God who caused the sun, moon and stars to give light also created light independent of them.

The Devil will tell us what we stand to gain, but never will he tell us what we stand to lose. If he tells us what we stand to lose we will never yield to his counsels; we will never commit the sin. Our misfortune and predicament will become known to us after yielding to his counsels, after committing the sin. We will later know that God's words are true, that His words stand forever, that His words never fail. Indeed, the eyes of our first parents were opened; perhaps, their hunger satisfied and knowledge gained, but of what use is everything they gained? Their relationship with God was severed, they fell from grace and began to hide from God, they could no longer behold God face to face, they were ashamed of themselves; they losed the state of Innocence. The consequence of the sin is upon us today; it is now 'if had I known'. We cannot claim to be warned before hand. We know because God has revealed it before hand. Let us beware of the wiles and tricks of the Devil; he will always be an enemy, never a friend. He has come to steal, kill and destroy; let us run away from him.

Sin has no last say over man; with God there is always hope, hope of redemption, hope of salvation. Today's psalm reminds us of God's merciful love and forgiveness. God's love for us is great; it is greater than our sins. We are always reminded that God never abandons us to the power of the Devil; He never abandons us to the power of sin. The psalmist says, "To you I have acknowledged my sin; my guilt I did not hide. I said, 'I will confess my transgression to the Lord.' And you have forgiven the guilt of my sin." If we have been led astray by the Devil and we are now into sin, this is the right time to quit sin and come back to God; His mercy is abundant and greater than our sins. All we need to do is to acknowledge our sins, confess them, resolve to be faithful, and live our lives in gratitude to Him. 

Today's gospel reading reminds us that our redemption is in Jesus Christ; He is our salvation. He opened our ears to hear God's words and our mouths to speak of His wonderful deeds. May His name be praised both now and forever. Amen.

Lord God, we thank you for Your Son who has come to redeem us from the power of Satan and sin; grant that we may live to please You everyday of our lives. Amen.

Fr. Andrew Olowomuke