Memorial of Saint Thomas Aquinas, Priest and Doctor of the Church

Lectionary: 317

“How can Satan drive out Satan?
If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.
And if a house is divided against itself,
that house will not be able to stand.
And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided,
he cannot stand;
that is the end of him.

A sure sign of evil is the nonsense that spews from its spokespersons. Its testimony is so full of contradictions, non sequiturs, ad hominems, circular reasoning and just plain lies that the reasonable person is momentarily stunned by it all. But that nonsense is also a sure sign of its impending collapse.

Do not fret because of the wicked; do not be envious of wrongdoers, for they will soon fade like the grass, and wither like the green herb. Psalm 37: 1-2

Reasonable persons are tempted to write off irrational people. Since they cannot talk sense, why should we deal with them? But they are often friends, family, neighbors or enemies and they won't go away just because we don't listen to them. 

I see this kind of courage in the VA hospital where many patients have invested their health and well-being in alcohol and drugs. They simply cannot imagine life without self-medication, and they return to the hospital often. And the hospital always provides the safe place where they can regain their sanity. We always advise them to stop drinking, stop smoking and seek help. We also provide residential treatment that addresses their medical, psychological, social and financial needs. 

Some of the Veterans, having crashed once, make the fateful decision to go straight. With lots of professional help they regain their self-esteem and composure. They resume their family life, go back to work, and become contributing members of society. But many will relapse and return for a second or third or fifth go at it. 

Quoting scripture I remind the patient, "The good man falls seven times a day." (Proverbs 24: 16). But I also urge them to "raise your bottom;" meaning, "become aware of your stinking thinking and change it immediately!" Instead of taking a drink, just notice how miserable a resentful thought makes you feel. 

Beyond the realm of personal healing we find plenty of stinking thinking in local, state and national politics also. Special interest groups demand that their hobbies be honored as rights, and their rights be sanctified as inalienable. 

As  Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834-92) said,  "A lie will go round the world while truth is pulling its boots on."

And Mark Twain added, "The most outrageous lies that can be invented will find believers if a man only tells them with all his might." Incessant repetition also helps, as political actions committees have shown. 

But the Christian puts her faith in truth, which may be slow to appear, but ineluctably wins. I believe our descendants will wonder why we drove gas-guzzling automobiles, why we tolerated abortion and the ownership of useless weapons, why we honored suicides and executed trapped, defenseless convicts. But they will have their own lies to contend with, and the Truth will always invite them. 

Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for him; do not fret over those who prosper in their way, over those who carry out evil devices. Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath. Do not fret—it leads only to evil. For the wicked shall be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land.