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One of my favorite activities I don’t do enough is read. Growing up, we sometimes got scolded by mom and dad for spending too much time with our noses in a book! What good children we were!Nowadays, and I am sure you can relate, most of my reading is work-related, task-oriented, punctuated by endless email and mind-numbing news. Whenever I take the time to indulge in my favorite genres of history and non-fiction, I am always amazed how much I enjoy it. One of the writings mentioned over and over in works about war and the heroes that fought them is a little treatise written more than 2000 years ago. The Art of War by Sun Tzu (Soon-Zoo) is an ancient Chinese military treatise that emphasizes strategy, tactics, and philosophy for the purpose of victory. Sun Tzu (Soon-Zoo) advocates for adaptability, awareness of one’s surroundings, along with the awareness of the strengths and weaknesses of oneself and the enemy. Although this work was intended for military leaders, the principles in The Art of War have been widely applied in business, politics, and personal development, emphasizing the importance of strategic thinking and calculated action.
I couldn’t help but think of this book as we reflect on the gospel for the first Sunday of Lent. Could there be a more important war than the one that exists between good and evil? We see one of those battles up close and personal today! Jesus was just baptized in the Jordan and his heavenly Father publicly stated his support and love for him. The voice from heaven identified him as the One sent from God for the salvation of the world. This put him on the radar for the world but it also alerted satan, who probably knew very little about Jesus until this moment. Accepting his mission, Jesus retreats to the desert for a sort of spiritual boot camp. He is in this barren place for 40 days, fasting, praying, developing the laser focus he will need to do the will of the One who sent him. During this period of self-denial and sacrifice, Jesus marshals the strength and determination required to fight on our behalf and save us from the ancient foe.
With this background, let’s highlight a few details in the skirmish today and relate them to our own spiritual struggles, applying the example of Christ and the wisdom of Sun Tzu (Soon-Zoo).
Jesus knows he is in hostile territory. The desert is an unfriendly place that strips away anything and everything which is unnecessary. Jesus wisely used this surrounding to his advantage, refining his mind, body, and spirit so nothing remains for the devil to grab on to. After these 40 days, he is spiritually streamlined; he knows himself, his mission, and he knows who satan is. He realizes how the devil will test him, the buttons of power, pride, comfort he will try to push. Jesus also understands his foe, the areas of weakness that exist where he can counterattack, putting the evil one on his heels for the good of humanity.
With Jesus’ example in mind, let’s apply some of the principles from the Art of War. Are we aware of our spiritual surroundings? Are we mindful that we are on a battlefield, in the middle of a fierce fight between good and evil? Or are we oblivious, content to worry about much less important things that will mean nothing in the context of eternity? People who live in a war zone are alert, careful, and clever. They make decisions to maximize their chances of survival and minimize the ways they could become a target for enemy fire. They are willing to make significant sacrifices to make sure their side wins and they can go on living.
Once we acknowledge that we are in a spiritual battleground, we can assess our resources. Are our friendships, our homes, and our workplaces, set up to ensure spiritual victory and cooperation with Christ? Are they refuges of strength and safety or filled with landmines that favor the evil one? Are we aware of the environments where we place ourselves and do we use them to our advantage? Far too often, we wander into enemy territory or walk into ambushes and then wonder why we struggle with sin and the wounds of evil.
And do we know ourselves well? Our strengths and spiritual gifts? Our true vocation and place in the Church? Have we cultivated a personal relationship with Jesus so we can invite him to guide our process of self-knowledge and mastery? Many times, we neglect to get crucial intel from the one who made us and saved us, trying instead to do it on our own. We must also understand our weaknesses and struggles. Not in a spirit of self-hatred but rather in humility. The things that might be difficult for us, situations that lead us into sin; these we must know, acknowledge, and then avoid. There is great power in knowing both our strengths and weaknesses because then we can minimize the ways we make ourselves vulnerable to the attacks of the enemy and become an easy target.
Last of all, do we understand our opponent, the devil? He is real, make no mistake about it. He is ruthless and hates every part of us that reminds him of God. He is incapable of mercy and doesn’t hesitate to hurt us if he has the chance. He simply wants to steal as many souls from God as possible so they can share his misery. He is smarter than us, not afraid to lie or play dirty. The more we move towards God, the more he will try to discourage and tempt us. The people he already has on his side, he pays little attention to. He is also a coward, a liar, and full of pride. If it was just us against satan, we would lose every time. But here is the good news, the saving news. We can have Jesus as our warrior and shield. If we fight in union with Christ, we will win: every.single.battle. For the devil is powerless against Jesus; his weapons and tactics don’t work against the Son of God and anyone who lives and fights under his banner. The devil has already lost the war, the only battles that remain are for our souls and we enter the fray each and every day!
The season of lent is a time for spiritual training and re-grouping, a time to better understand ourselves and our ancient enemy. It is a time to re-align our mind, heart, body, and soul with Jesus. It is a time to throw away the things and routines that are superficial and detrimental our role on the battlefield. It is a moment to take note of our spiritual surroundings and make sure they are maximizing our chances for eternal victory rather than making us easy targets for the evil one.
Are you ready to fight? Don’t you want to be on the winning side? How thrilling that God himself has chosen to fight with us and for us. Jesus, please help us to be spiritually strategic this lent and teach us the art of spiritual warfare so we may enjoy your victory over sin and death, your defeat over satan and his army. Amen
