How is the Devil at Work in the World?
Great article from Fr. Longenecker …
There are several reasons why there is an extraordinary interest in demon possession and exorcism.
The phenomenon is dramatic and horrible and there will always be a fascination with the dark side of reality. However, I believe there is also a vital interest in possession and exorcism because it is one of the few areas of life where the evidence of the supernatural and the real power of Jesus Christ working through the Catholic faith is evident.
Anyone who has witnessed an exorcism is convinced forever of certain truths. Firstly, that Satan is real and the phenomenon of possession is real. After we make allowances for every type of mental illness and assign cases to relational illnesses, addiction problems and spiritual illness there still arise situations in which the only rational solution is that an alien entity has taken over the body, mind and spirit of a person.
This is not only true, it is a phenomenon that is known throughout history and in virtually every culture and religion.
Anyone who has witnessed an exorcism is also convinced of the power of Christ in his church.
If Satan is real in these circumstances, then we must conclude that he is real in the other, less dramatic manifestations in the world.
It is these less dramatic manifestations that interest me more than diabolical possession.
Pope Francis affirms that Satan is alive and active in the world today, but he sees the work of the devil in the systems of the world which are opposed to Christ and his church.
The Pope’s regular reference to Bensons novel The Lord of the World reveals that Pope Francis’ mindset is one of Christ and his church set up in opposition to the the intricate ways of the world. He sees the spirit of antiChrist always at war with Christ and his Church.
It is this larger scenario which Jesus confronts immediately when he sets out to battle Satan in the wilderness. The world belongs to Satan and Jesus Christ has come to reclaim it.
Therefore right from the beginning the stage is set for this cosmic battle, and the baptized are commissioned to join in the army of light against the forces of darkness.
Satan’s grip on the world is insinuated into every nook and corner. His ways of greed, violence and ambition and his lies of self righteousness and blame are woven like a dark shadow through every aspect of human society from individual lives through institutional structures and international politics, finance and the whole military-industrial complex.
The problem is, many American Catholics are blind to the battle and blind to the ways in which the enemy has infiltrated and dominated our culture. Continue Reading
