Our weapons

God has given us four powerful weapons and by using them we can all be rescued from sin. 

Prayer

The first weapon is prayer.  When we pray we call on God’s grace and power to help us.  So we should be faithful in saying our morning and evening prayers.  And immediately a bad thought comes into our minds or we find ourselves tempted to do wrong, we should without a moment’s delay turn to God and send a prayer for him to help.  “Jesus, help me” is a good prayer to use, but remember that we should say it at once before the temptation gets too strong for us.

Confirmation

The second powerful weapon is the Sacrament of Confirmation in which we are given the full gift of God the Holy Spirit himself, and so we are fully armed as soldiers of Christ.

Confession and forgiveness of our sins

When we sin we should tell God we are sorry and make up our minds not to sin again.  So we turn away from sin and back to God and ask his forgiveness.  We do this in our private prayers and in church services. 

In the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Penance) we confess our particular sins privately in the presence of a priest and receive forgiveness of our sins, grace to resist temptation and individual advice and encouragement to help us keep on trying to be God’s faithful soldiers and servants.

Holy Communion

The fourth powerful weapon which God has given us is Holy Communion, the Blessed Sacrament of Our Lord’s glorified Body.  For when we make our Communion and receive Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, then we are united closely to him, so that he dwells in us and we in him.  Then we have, within our very souls, the same Jesus who on the Cross defeated the Devil and who can still defeat him today in us.

So if, throughout our life, we persevere in prayer, always turn firmly back to God when we have sinned, are faithful and regular in making our Communion, and never give up trying to love God and do good, then we shall be saved from all evil here and from all evil hereafter and we have nothing at all to fear.