Although there are a few good ones, mostly straight out of scripture, soundbites are rarely good because with them you apply a thoughtless brushstroke to just about anything and end up with a distortion of truth while at the same time deceiving yourself.

Here’s a few that might seem good but can be used very effectively by the demon:

“Don’t get ahead of yourself”: If you are not living the gospel or becoming the Saint you are created to be you would do very well to get very far ahead of yourself. You can often hear this intoned one way or another by priest, layperson or whomever to justify where they choose to remain. In the spirit of charity Chistian correction should always legt out yes be yes and our no be no.

Look at St Francis of Assisi. We romanticize about these Saints in our devotionals. Would we have the same attitude if he was among us today, banging on our doors shouting “love is not loved” throwing out wealth to the poor and stripping off in the city square. How many of us could honestly say we would not shout “Don’t get ahead of yourself”. He needs taking down a peg or two”. We are happy to keep him at a safe distance of several 100 years. I wonder sometimes how much we too can place ourselves among the mob that “honored the prophets” over the distorted mists of time but at heart remain sons and daughters of those who killed them or at least ignored them. Lord have mercy on me and save my soul.