Liturgical Context: Feria V, 21st Week after the Octave of Pentecost – 1st November, IV Class
In the rhythm of the Church’s traditional liturgical year, even the so-called “ferial” days—those without feast rank or saints’ commemorations—are not days of spiritual idleness. The Feria Quinta infra Hebdomadam XXI post Octavam Pentecostes (Thursday of the 21st Week after Pentecost), falling on the 1st of November when the feast of All Saints is transferred or not observed liturgically due to local circumstances, invites us to contemplation through two potent readings: Ephesians 6:10–17 and Matthew 18:23–35. These passages, paired in the Mass, form a powerful instruction on the spiritual life—both in combat and in mercy.
Ephesians 6:10–17 – “Put on the whole armour of God”
St. Paul concludes his Epistle to the Ephesians with an exhortation not simply to action but to preparation for war—a spiritual war. “Be strengthened in the Lord and in the might of his power. Put you on the armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the deceits of the devil.” (Eph. 6:10–11)
Here is no vague metaphor but a concrete description of Christian life in the militia Christi, the army of Christ. The Apostle enumerates each piece of armor:
- The girdle of truth (v.14): St. Gregory the Great sees in the girdle a symbol of chastity and self-restraint, binding our loins, the seat of carnal desire, with truth—Christ Himself, who is Veritas.
- The breastplate of justice: According to St. Ambrose, this guards the heart—the seat of the will—against pride and injustice. It is the justice which renders to God what is due, that is, faithful obedience.
- Feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace: As St. John Chrysostom comments, this refers to readiness to preach and to walk boldly in the path of peace, not in conflict with others, but with peace as a weapon in battle.
- The shield of faith: St. Augustine, in his Enchiridion, remarks that faith is what allows us to extinguish “all the fiery darts of the most wicked one” because by it, we cling to God even when the senses are deceived.
- The helmet of salvation: This protects the head—the mind—from error. It is the hope of salvation that defends us from despair in the midst of trial.
- The sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God: As Origen teaches, Scripture is not merely to be read but wielded, cutting through deceit and false doctrine.
St. Paul speaks here not of earthly arms but of the invisible but no less real weapons of the soul. It is significant that the armor is not optional—it is necessary if we are to stand, not fall, in the face of the enemy.
Matthew 18:23–35 – The Unmerciful Servant
The Gospel places before us a parable of judgment and mercy. The servant who owes an unpayable debt—ten thousand talents—is forgiven by his lord. But, showing no mercy himself, he demands repayment from a fellow servant who owes but a hundred pence.
Our Lord’s conclusion is terrible in its clarity: “So also shall my heavenly Father do to you, if you forgive not every one his brother from your hearts.” (Matt. 18:35)
St. Jerome points out that the ten thousand talents symbolize our countless sins before God—sins no human effort can repay. Yet, in His mercy, God remits them. St. John Chrysostom, preaching on this passage, warns that “nothing makes us more unworthy of God’s mercy than our unwillingness to show mercy to others.”
This parable is not simply moral instruction; it is an eschatological warning. The servant is delivered to the torturers (v.34)—a grim image of damnation. Mercy received must become mercy extended.
A Unity in Combat and Mercy
At first glance, these two readings—one martial, the other moral—seem unrelated. But the Church Fathers discern a deep unity. The battle described in Ephesians is not against men but against “principalities and powers… the spirits of wickedness in the high places.” (Eph. 6:12) And one of the chief stratagems of the devil is to tempt us to unforgiveness, to a hardness of heart.
St. Leo the Great writes: “The devil’s battle is to reproduce his own pride in us. Nothing imitates his pride more than the refusal to forgive.” Thus, the “armour of God” must include not only faith and hope, but charity—expressed in mercy, the crown of the Christian virtues.
The warrior in Ephesians and the servant in Matthew are, in truth, the same person: the Christian soul. To stand firm in battle is to resist the deceits of the enemy—including the whisper that others do not deserve our mercy. To forgive is not weakness but victory.
Spiritual Application for Today’s Feria
On this humble Thursday after the 21st Sunday post Pentecost, the Church teaches us two great lessons:
- Without God’s armor, we will fall. The world, flesh, and devil are not abstractions—they are enemies. We must gird ourselves with prayer, virtue, and Scripture. The Office of Prime begins each day with “Deus, in adiutorium meum intende,” for a reason: we are at war.
- Without mercy, we forfeit mercy. The parable of the unmerciful servant reveals the gravity of our obligation to forgive. If we who have been forgiven a mountain of sins cannot release our neighbor’s molehill of offenses, how can we face the Lord?
Conclusion: The Battle is the Lord’s—But We Must Be Clad for It
The combination of Ephesians 6 and Matthew 18 is no accident. As the ancient lectionaries of the Roman Rite demonstrate, the Church reads Scripture with deep theological intention. The soldier who would stand must not only resist the devil but also forgive his brother.
In the words of St. Augustine:
“We are armed, not to kill, but to conquer with love. We fight, not against men, but against sin. Let your enemy be the sin, not the sinner. For as you were forgiven, forgive likewise.”
May we, on this Thursday of the 21st week after Pentecost, resolve anew to don the full armor of God, and, clothed in truth and justice, wield also the sword of mercy—for it is only in forgiving that we ourselves are made fit to be forgiven.