Evil is real. Satan is real and will try to do anything to make you sin, to make you disobey God’s will. We all sin and there is no question about that. But we are lucky that our God is merciful and forgiving. Yet, how to fight with temptations that come our way? Because even though we have God who is merciful, we can’t simply give up, but we must fight each temptation. In the Gospel reading Jesus shows us how to fight with evil. We read that in the Synagogue where Jesus was teaching, there “was a man with an unclean spirit; he cried out, ‘What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are–the Holy One of God!’ Jesus rebuked him and said, ‘Quiet! Come out of him!’ The unclean spirit convulsed him and with a loud cry came out of him.” What amazes me is how firm Jesus was. He didn’t get into any dialogue nor conversation with evil but firmly ordered it to leave that person. See, Satan will try to talk to you, convince you, make you think that this is only one time, or that this is not a sin. He will try to make you think, ask questions -- but don’t go there. Be firm and specific like Jesus. This is the best way to fight evil.
