Earlier this week, our great nation recognized all those who have served in its military by observing Veterans Day.  We are blest to live in this great country, and even more blest that there are men and women courageous enough to defend it and the freedoms we enjoy, and more often than not, take for granted.

And less than 48 hours after observing Veterans Day, we are faced with the stark reality and reminder from the events in Paris that there is a war going on around us all.  It’s not a war that involves generals drawing lines on maps where foot soldiers will be deployed to engage the enemy.  But it is a war that engages us all, for this war is being fought over that thing each one of us has- a soul.

And sometimes this war does involve physical carnage as we have seen in Paris.  There are those who apparently believe that causing bodily harm to another person while yelling that their “god is great” will earn them carnal pleasures in the afterlife.  How foolish and misled are they (Matthew 7:15).  And how even more foolish we will be if we cower in fear and attempt to placate them by giving into their demands.

Jesus warns us all not to fear these evil doers who look to physically harm us:  “And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna.” (Matthew 10:28).  Jesus warns us of the more important battle that is going on for our souls.

And in this battle, the enemy uses attack methods that do not involve loud percussive explosions of bright light that will draw our attention.  Satan does this on purpose.  The last thing Satan wants is a sounding of the alarm and additional troops shoring up our defenses against him.  No, he and his followers use the “death by a thousand tiny cuts” technique to destroy our souls.  These attacks are very subtle and go easily unnoticed if we are not paying attention.

The Catholic Church wisely uses the term “The Church Militant” to describe the followers of Christ who are alive in this world.  We are the foot soldiers who are doing battle on a daily basis in a multi-front war in which we are being attacked from all different directions.  We battle the devil.  We battle the world.  We battle ourselves.

In closing, Ephesians 6:10-17 eloquently invokes the imagery of our daily battle:

“Finally, draw your strength from the Lord and from his mighty power.

Put on the armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the tactics of the devil.

For our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with the principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens.

Therefore, put on the armor of God, that you may be able to resist on the evil day and, having done everything, to hold your ground.

So stand fast with your loins girded in truth, clothed with righteousness as a breastplate,

and your feet shod in readiness for the gospel of peace.

In all circumstances, hold faith as a shield, to quench all flaming arrows of the evil one.

And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”