The spiritual armor mentioned - belt of Truth, breastplate of righteousness, the shoes with readiness, shield of faith, and the helmet of salvation. The Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, is listed as the one offensive weapon, used to both protect and attack against evil.

I have designed a rendition of this armor for the front graphic element of your garment. The most prominent piece being the Shield of Faith. Equipped with the “Chi Rho”, the symbol of the earliest monograms used by Christians to represent the resurrected Christ. It allows its wielder to “be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one” (Ephesians 6:16). As believers we are called to be warriors in the army of the Kingdom of Heaven here on earth. When Paul admonishes to “put on” these pieces of armor he was providing the early Christians with a strategic approach to withstand trials and stand firm in their faith. Today, these instructions continue to serve as a timeless reminder to believers of the importance of prayerful reliance on God's strength and protection in the face of adversity.

It is clear here that Paul does not have any physical violence in mind. Rather, he is emphasizing the severity of the spiritual warfare at hand. It is important to note two things. First, believers in God, must plan to implement all these pieces of armor that are available to them; if they hope to have any chance against the schemes of the devil. St. Paul is clear in his language when he calls them “schemes” - implying that these are coordinated plans of attack against believers. Just as a Roman Soldier would not have reasonably entered a battle field wearing only parts of his armor, or some of his weapons, a believer will not succeed without wielding every part of God’s armor. In other words, we must fully rely on God through prayer, surrendering ourselves to the resources God provides us to stand firm in our faith and fight against the devil’s attacks.

Second, as much as we must rely fully on the armor of God to survive, the key is to understand that these tools are meant to allow Christians to stand against the devil - to stand against sin. These passages from St Paul, do not suggest that we can conquer evil entirely. While, we are called to speak out against evil (the best way, by using the Word of God, 2 Corinthians 10:5 for reference), we are primarily called to hold a firm defense against Satan and the evil spirits prowling around the world seeking the ruin of souls. Then finally, allow Christ himself to win the ultimate victory.

The ultimate sword, is the Cross. The designed rendition on the back of your garment was inspired by the pectoral crosses worn by bishops. These outward symbols of fidelity to the Church may be taken for granted now in the secular word, but back in the first century people were terrified of the crucifix. As believers, we proclaim Christ Crucified until He comes again. Jesus Christ, by his superabundant goodness, and perfection, draws out all of human darkness. He draws out all of human sin and takes it upon himself as He is nailed to this excruciating instrument of torture. Jesus is overwhelmed by all the sin of humanity and dies on that cross. His earthy body is crushed by the evil of this world… And through that sacrifice… through His resurrection… God’s Love conquers that Evil. So put on the armor of God, fight the good fight, and finish the race.. God has big plans for you.

To read this passage for yourself and the full chapter in context click the link above in the first paragraph..

To hear a short message of what it means to be a part of the Great Army of Martyrs (reflection from the Book of Revelation), from Bishop Barron, click the button below