(Luke 22:52:53)
The first injury to Jesus is to his feelings. "Have you come out as against a robber?" (The Greek word used here meant armed thugs who preyed upon travelers or made trouble in the cities.)
Jesus didn't come to hurt anyone. He came to heal. And he is hurt when these people he loved came at him with weapons: "Day after day I was with you ..."
This is a bad time for Jesus. At the end of the temptation in the desert, Luke says that the devil departed from Jesus "for a time." Now Jesus says, "This is your hour, the time for the power of darkness." Satan is not an easy loser. He's back.
We can be sure of this: None of us wins a decisive victory over evil this side of the grave. Satan will always be back, with more subtlety than the last time. It's true, and as basic as warning a child to be careful crossing the street.
The fasting, prayer and almsgiving of Lent are designed to help us uncover the "darkness" that we hadn't noticed creeping into our lives.
Ask the Lord for help. He's experienced in taking on the forces of evil.
- Little Black Book, Diocese of Saginaw