"Darkness covers the earth, and thick clouds cover the peoples" (Is 60:2). In the midst of worldwide darkness, Christians are like stars. We are not merely light, but the only light that has conquered the darkness. "Nations shall walk by your light, and kings by your shining radiance" (Is 60:3).

The devil, the prince of darkness, tries to snuff out our light and thereby command total darkness. He hates the light and tries to seduce others to share his enmity. "The judgment of condemnation is this: the Light came into the world, but men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were wicked. Everyone who practices evil hates the light; he does not come near it" (Jn 3:19-20).

The devil even tries to shoot us stars out of the sky. But in this titanic star war, we have more firepower. We can blow him out of the skies. Jesus said: "I watched Satan fall from the sky like lightning" (Lk 10:18). When we become Christians, we enter into a transcosmic, intergalactic battle. We need to ask ourselves if we're ready to pay the cost of discipleship necessary to claim Christ's victory. Jesus says: "If one of you decides to build a tower, will he not first sit down and calculate the outlay to see if he has enough?" (Lk 14:28) Some Christians think of themselves as merely members of a Sunday club. They never realized they were entering a transhistorical, monumental struggle. What about you? Do you know what you're into?

Nihil Obstat:  Reverend Robert L. Hagedorn, March 30, 2004

Imprimatur:  †Most Reverend Carl K. Moeddel, Vicar General and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, April 1, 2004