“Beloved, do not trust every spirit but test the spirits to see whether they belong to God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can know the Spirit of God: every spirit that acknowledges Jesus Christ come in the flesh belongs to God” 1 Jn 4:1-2
One of the reasons I enjoyed studying civil engineering in my college days is because the discipline of structural design appealed to my analytical thought process. When designing any structure, engineers apply a set of standards that have taken worst-case scenarios of destructive forces into account. On top of that, engineers may also apply a factor of safety to ensure the design is strong enough to resist those forces plus a little extra. Designs are then evaluated and tested to ensure all criteria are met. It’s kind of a “hope for the best, prepare for the worst” discipline.
The same can be said for our everyday life in Christ. Each day brings new graces, which come from God, but also new challenges and decisions to make. Sometimes, life may even throw us some things that knock us down, cause great anxiety, or can even paralyze us in indecisiveness. The best preparation we can make against any of these destructive spiritual forces is to be centered in the Lord. We do this by giving him the first-fruits of our day. When we awake, we thank the Lord for the breath in our lungs and ask his guidance and protection throughout the day.
How is the Lord calling us today to be more centered in Him so that we may be ready to put to the test whatever spirits may come our way?
Lord Jesus Christ, Word made flesh, remain with me and help me to remain in you so that I may walk in your ways towards eternity with you.
Today's reflection is by:
Christian Galvan
Did You Know...
Christian Galvan is a seminarian for the Diocese of St. Petersburg. He is in his Third Theology year at St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary in Boynton Beach, FL and is anticipating diaconate ordination in April 2022. His home parish is St. Stephen in Riverview. He worked in engineering design and construction management for five years before discerning the call to the priesthood. He enjoys singing, cooking, Rays Baseball, and Notre Dame Football.
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