It is 7th January 2019. We celebrate the memorial of St. Raymond, a Dominican Friar who was Canon Lawyer. The readings are from 1 John 3:22-4:6; and the Gospel from Matthew 4:12-17, 23-25. We all want to listen to something new. It is good for our integral welfare. But for the spiritual welfare we need to put the resources into test. We need to identify whether it is inspired by the Holy Spirit or from the Evil one. We need to examine thoroughly the truth that we hear and handle every time. In order to test the truth, we must believe in the Truth, Jesus our Lord. When we have embraced lies and liars in our lives, we are easily pulled towards the false prophets, and the appeasing evil spirits that only pleases the wish and fancies of the world not the intentions of the Lord. Whatever the Church has believed, accepted and proclaimed all along has to be embraced by us as believers. If we have problems in listening to the Church, we might be ruled by the spirit of disobedience and pride. God has chosen the Church as the instrument to dispense the truth and faith to all those who are searching for God and desire to love God. On the contrary, there are institutions, group of people and the so-called man/woman of God who mislead God’s people with their secret agenda, cult and connections with evil spirits constantly misleading many. We must recognise the presence of the Holy Spirit when Jesus is the reason, meaning and mentor of such gathering. Wherever Jesus is suppressed and human spirit is exalted, then we must know it is the anti-Christ. They harm the souls of the faithful and seduce them with the pleasures of life. We need to be cautious but never be afraid of them. They are just evil spirits that can be brought under the foot of the Lord. “You are from God, and have conquered them; for the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. They are from the world; therefore, what they say is from the world, and the world listens to them.” (1 Jn.4:4). The responsorial Psalm acclaims, “The Lord takes delight in his people.” (Ps.149:4). We have the account of the beginning of public ministry of Jesus after the arrest of John the Baptist. Unless we are repented, we cannot recognise the truth and believe in Jesus. May the Lord enlighten our hearts to discern the truth in everything we do and say. May you have a good day.