On the Mediterranean coast, north of the Holy Land, the Phoenicians worshiped the goddess we usually call Venus.
King Solomon, as we read, fell under the sway of a Phoenician woman. He betrayed his god, the God of Israel, the source of all true wisdom.
Then, as we read, the God of Israel visited Phoenicia. The Wisdom of God calmly walked into Venus’ territory. And another Phoenician woman forsook the pagan goddess and believed in Him. She entrusted the well-being of her possessed daughter to the Holy One of Israel, the Christ.
He came to conquer the demons. He came to deliver us from the shadow of evil, false worship, sin. He came to open up the door of truth.
The truth is: God Almighty, the one and only, loves everyone. He wills everyone’s eternal salvation–by the practice of true religion, the religion Jesus Christ brought to the world.
Let’s humble ourselves, entrust our prayers to Christ–like the second Phoenician woman did—and offer the one genuinely worthy sacrifice to God: Jesus Christ, and ourselves united with Him.
Father Mark,
And, if we think of it, our nation has just as surely fallen into worship of the same god (small “g”). The messages touting this god bombard us in everyday life, and begins to be a part of children’s lives early in their second decade. It is taken as the “be-all and end-all — here”.
Maybe it’s time to consider exorcising this demon. As with other exorcisms, we must fill our lives with good things, or the demon will be back, with friends.
LIH,
joe