13 November 2021
Memorial of Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, Virgin
Scripture alludes to the destructive power of the word of God. According to the book of Revelation there is a two-edged sword (Revelation 1:16, 9:15) that comes out of the mouth of Jesus. The Epistle to the Hebrews affirms that “God’s word is living and effective, sharper than any two-edged sword” (Hebrews 4:12). The book of Wisdom states that God’s “all-powerful word from heaven’s royal throne leapt into the doomed land, a fierce warrior bearing the sharp sword of [His] inexorable decree, and alighted, and filled every place with death” (Wisdom 18:15-16).
The death that comes from God’s word is the death of error, sin and evil. As we receive God’s word into our lives, like a sword, it cuts off whatever error, sin and evil it finds in us. Striving to collaborate with God’s word, we must become like it: a fierce warrior leaping into a doomed land. No remorse and no pity. Cut off vice and ignorance. Hack them right off. Adopt a jungle mentality: in here it is kill or be killed, so get tough and fight hard. If you don’t destroy evil, evil will destroy you.