Encouraging the Culture of Encounter with Jesus Christ, His Church, and All People
 
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
 
Yes, We Still Believe in That!
Last week I wrote about the reality and importance of angels.  There are many examples in Scripture of angels, and the Church’s teaching is clear on their existence.  The same can be said of demons, which are fallen angels. Demons retain their natural abilities but are fallen and thus deprived of God’s sanctifying grace. At the very moment of an angel’s existence it has the choice to fulfill or reject God’s mission assigned to it.  Those angels that rejected it became demons.  Some wonder if demons have the opportunity to be saved like we do.  They will not be saved. The fact is they had their chance yet willfully and fully chose eternal damnation.  Thus, demons live in an everlasting frustration because they forever are naturally inclined to fulfill their mission but continually reject it out of pride.  Due to this, the demons will attempt to take out their frustrated hate on us in order to try getting back at God. 
 
The most famous demon of course is Satan. In no way is Satan equal with God.  The devil is not some counterpart to God where the two fight or balance each other like a ying-yang.  God is the Creator and Lucifer is a creature that fell from grace.  Demons are like the spoiled kids who, because they do not get their way and are punished, knock over the dishes from the table on their way to their room.  They have no power beyond what God allows. 
 
In God’s Providence, he allows them to seemingly make a mess of things which has consequences for us.  They hate God and so hate us who are made in His image, kind of like the jealous vandal who defaces the work of art because he cannot stop the artist from creating.
 
From our perspective, ordinary demonic activity is temptation.  Demons will tempt us by offering thoughts or images of sin to us.  But demons cannot control us or make us sin; we have freewill.  God does not allow a demon on his own to overtake our will (we cannot say, “The devil made me do it.”).  The exception here is if we willfully invite a demonic presence in.  Even if this is done subtly, we are establishing a relationship with the evil and can over time lose our freedom because we have chosen to give it over to evil.  This is why the Church warns so strongly against committing sin, but especially against any ouija boards, occult practices, witchcraft, voodoo, raiki, or “new age” practices.  If you have been involved in any of this (even as a game or joke) go to confession!  In times of any temptation we must choose to resist it and rely on God’s grace which He always gives.  This brings real freedom.  Thus the temptation becomes an opportunity to grow in holiness.  There is no reason to be afraid. In these moments especially, call upon your guardian angel to help.
 
There can be extraordinary cases of demonic oppression or possession, but these are very rare.  Our movies and books often misunderstand and misrepresent the reality of demonic possession.  While there can be some scary things out there, these cases do not show a lessening of God’s power, but becomes a time of deeper reliance on God and the prayer of the Church to bring liberation to those afflicted.  After all, Jesus himself liberated people from demons and gives His Church that gift as well.  Remember the devil is a vindictive brat who wants us to think he is more powerful than he really is.  We have the power of Christ and His victory over Satan, sin, and death.  Do not be afraid but confident trusting in the Lord.
 
Sincerely in Christ,
Fr. Pfr