By Kate Walsh-Soucheray

“Children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come; therefore we know that it is the last hour.  They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out, that it might be plain that they all are not of us.  But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all know.  I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and know that no lie is of the truth,” ~ 1 John 2:18-21

This First Letter of St. John reminds his readers they are all members of the Body of Christ and that antichrists are coming and have appeared among them. These antichrists deserted them, demonstrating that they were not of their number, for those who were of Christ remained and were the anointed ones. This anointing came from the Holy One, which provided them with knowledge and truth.

The antichrist, the enemy, is the evil one, the one who attempts to draw us away from our anointed status and our possession of the truth, for when we profess this truth, his lies are exposed, and he is defeated. If we even acknowledge him and his evil ways, we give him power. Our call from God is to rebuke him, to renounce him, and to resist him in the holy name of Jesus. We say, “I command you to be gone, in the holy name of Jesus.”

Jesus’ name is so powerful that the evil one cannot exist when we speak Jesus’ name. Saint John was living and writing in a time of great turmoil at the turn of the first century in the ancient world. The Christians were beginning to spread their faith, and many of the apostles had died by this time and it was the second generation of Christians who were now carrying on the message of Christ.

This is not unlike our time. We are Catholic women who have a deep faith life and an enthusiastic love of Jesus. We must be willing to live our faith in evident, infectious ways so that others are attracted to it, and our faith continues to grow.

Prayer:

Dear Jesus, please help my faith in you grow today. Please help me understand the truth and be counted among the anointed ones. Give me a strong love for you and help me spread my faith by living it each day. Amen.

Call to Action:

Do not be afraid to live your faith in robust and vibrant ways today. So often, we are made to feel afraid, and Jesus says, “Be not afraid.” We must each demonstrate our Catholic faith in loving and transformative ways each day.

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