Put on the full armor of God

In this time of concern for the whole World, we who are Catholic Christians know that we can pray about and on behalf of all the people, places, and things affected by this affliction. We especially need to pray for our leaders in health, politics, and faith that all of them will work together in one accord to restore hope, healing, and health to all. This era of COVID-19 VIRUS is not just a battle against the diseases that attack our flesh, but indeed also against the "wickedness and snares of the devil." Many of us are praying to St. Michael, Prince of the Heavenly Host, to defend us against the army of evil that attempts with such vigor to oppress us. We are called to be in that Army of God which is commanded by St. Michael and includes the Angels – especially our own Guardian Angels. Like any army, we must be equipped and thoroughly furnished to enter into battle. God himself is our Armorer, so let us learn about how he has given us everything we need to fight the good fight. In four installments we will learn about the Armor of God and about Spiritual Warfare.

We continue with The Full Armor of God Part 3:

The Helmet Of Salvation

Ephesians 6:17 "Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." I think if I were going to write about the armor a soldier wears, I would probably begin with the helmet. A head wound is nearly as immediately fatal as a wound directly to the heart. In fact, one can be wounded by some weapon in just about any other part of the body other than the head and have a fairly decent chance of survival and recovery. Head wounds if not fatal, on the other hand, can result in severe brain damage, loss of speech, loss of mobility, loss of sensation (any or all of the Five Senses), and/or changes in personality and perception. As you know by now, Paul listed the items in this passage in the order in which they were donned because that is also the order in which they come into the service of God.

The helmet is another ancient defensive armament, appearing historically around the same time as the first shields (see last week's message). Originally made of leather, they evolved with reinforcements of wood or bone. Later they were made of copper, bronze, iron, or steel. In modern times they were even made of reinforced and strengthened fabric. Some were also made of gold! Paul gives no description of the helmet or sword in the verse where these two armaments are mentioned, so we would need to rely on the image of what his contemporaries would have recalled. The word used in Greek in this letter to the Ephesians for "helmet" is perikefalai,a perikephalaia {per-ee-kef-al-ah'-yah}. It is a sort of generic term for helmet – ksomething which encircles the head rather than any specific form or construction of helmet. The whole purpose of the helmet is to protect the head because that which is inside the head is what keep the soldier in the fight: His mind! Paul's metaphor of armor illustrates how to be protected in Spiritual Warfare. The helmet, the sure knowledge of salvation in Jesus Christ, protects our head – our mind – from being wounded by the weapons of the enemy. If we think back to the kind of helmet worn by soldiers in heavy infantry, the helmet hat flaps to protect the ears, a visor which shielded and protected the eyes and forehead, a guard over the nose, and an extension which protected the back of the neck. The whole head was protected, and so also must the whole mind be protected from attacks through the senses, and through mistaken ideas and imaginations generated in the mind. If you are going up against the enemy of God, you are going against a powerful foe, and having a clear mind that is protected from the enemy's tricks and weapons is essential! Knowing and using the knowledge of Salvation is your best defense for your mind.

The sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

I remember a type of contest called a Sword Drill. It was a competition among young people to find scripture passages quickly. You had to have your Bible closed and on your lap or on a table. A clue was given, and the contestants would pick up their Bibles and try to get to the passage matched to the clue. The first one to find it won that round and earned a point. Sometimes we were grouped into teams and one group "battled" the other with … The Sword – the Word of God. The clue might sound like this: Name the weapon Paul used to describe the word of God. The answer could be found in Hebrews 4:12, as well as Ephesians 6:17. The word Paul uses for sword is one that describes a large knife or a short sword – something that is easily maneuverable and can be quickly moved to block blows or to thrust against the enemy. In researching this image, I was initially surprised to learn that Paul uses a word that describes speaking the word of God – rhema – that which is spoken by a living voice. Now I recall in Romans 10:17, Paul says, "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." Another word used in the New Testament for scripture is logos. This refers to the written word as well as to the embodiment of The Word (see John 1:1) in Christ.

We take up the word of God to defend and to fight against our enemy, the Accuser. When we read and study The Word, we are protecting our life from the attacks of the enemy. When we speak The Word, we are engaging the enemy in – quite literally – a fight for Life. As believers, then, we should always have the Sword of the Spirit ready, in hand, and held firmly. We should practice using it, get to know all of the things it can do. We should never let down our guard or fail to maintain our skills. When you leave your Bible gathering dust on the shelf or nightstand, you are missing an important part of your defense. The battle is at hand. Prepare the way of the Lord. Alleluia, Alleluia!

Whatever, whenever, wherever, whoever, however, if ever, forever
— at your service, Belovéd!