God's Word is fruitful, powerful, life-changing, and earthshaking. Therefore, our enemy, the devil, tries to prevent us from ever hearing it or at least from taking it to heart (see Mt 13:19). A second enemy opposing our living of God's Word is our lack of depth or roots (see Mt 13:21). When our relationship with the Lord is shallow, why would we suffer to obey His Word? Our third enemy against living God's Word is "worldly anxiety" (Mt 13:22). When we are worried about what we are to eat, drink, wear, do, think, feel, or spend (see Mt 6:31), we are so preoccupied that we become perpetual, spiritual procrastinators.

Our fourth enemy is "the lure of money" (Mt 13:22). "The love of money is the root of all evil" (1 Tm 6:10). Materialism is one of the most toxic and addictive of all substances. If we love the world and the things that it affords, God the Father's love has no place in us (1 Jn 2:15). Our fifth enemy is the fear of man instead of the fear of the Lord. When we worry about being politically correct instead of speaking the truth in love (Eph 4:15), we put God into a lower place and risk the sin of idolatry.

In Christ, in love for Him and obedience to Him, we have victory over all these enemies of God's Word. Conquer your enemies.

Rescript:  †Most Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Auxiliary Bishop, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, February 27, 2018

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