2853 Victory over the ‘prince of this world”6~ was won once for all at the Hour when Jesus freely gave himself up to death to give 677 us his life. This is the Judgement of this world, and the prince of this world is ‘cast out’.’7° ‘He pursued the woman”7’ but had no 490 hold on her: the new Eve, ‘full of grace’ of the Holy Spirit, is
preserved from sin and the corruption of death (the Immaculate 972 Conception and the Assumption of the Most Holy Mother of God, Mary, ever virgin). ‘Then the dragon was angry with the woman, and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring.”72 Therefore the Spirit and the Church pray: ‘Come, Lord Jesus’,’73 since his coming will deliver us from the Evil One. 2854 When we ask to be delivered from the Evil One, we pray as well to be freed from all evils, present, past and future, of which he is the author or instigator. In this final petition, the Church brings before the Father all the distress of the world. Along with deliverance from the evils that overwhelm humanity, she implores the precious gift of peace and the grace of perseverance in expectation

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of Christ’s return. By praying in this way, she anticipates in humil

ity of faith the gathering together of everyone and everything in him who has ‘the keys of Death and Hades’, who ‘is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty’.’74 Deliver us, Lord, we beseech you, from every evil and grant us peace in our day, so that aided by your mercy we might be ever free from sin and

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protected from all anxiety, as we await the blessed hope and the coming

of our Saviour, Jesus Christ.’75

Article 4

THE FINAL DOXOLOGY

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2855 The final doxology, ‘For the kingdom, the power and the

glory are yours, now and for ever’, takes up again, by inclusion, the first three petitions to our Father: the glorification of his name, the coming of his reign and the power of his saving will. But these prayers are now proclaimed as adoration and thanksgiving, as in the liturgy of heaven.’~6 The ruler of this world has mendaciously attributed to himself the three titles of kingship, power an