The Gates of Hell Shall Not Stop You

… on this rock I will build my church, 

and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Mtt. 16:18

When you hear the expression "the gates of hell" you think of that place of imprisonment where the souls of the condemned are held in eternal bondage and prevented from ever leaving, held securely by the gates of hell.

But there is another way of understanding the gates of hell - not as gates of imprisonment, preventing escape, but as citadel gates, preventing entry, entry into the great city of this world, the great city to which the Lord is sending his evangelists to bring the truth of the gospel, the Good News of God's Merciful Love and to set people free.

Mark ends his gospel account with what is known as "the Great Commission" - “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons;... Mk 16:15

Jesus makes it clear that he has been sent into the world by the Father to free the world from the bondage of ignorance that constrains it, from the lies and deception that Satan has used to imprison the minds and hearts of all peoples. From the moment Jesus enters this world, the powers of darkness conspire against him to prevent his coming by destroying him. But Jesus breaks down "the gates of hell" and enters triumphantly, first freeing the spirits of the dead held in bondage (1 Pt. 3:19) then entering the whole world through the ministry of the Church which he empowers through the Holy Spirit.

And he called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal. Luke 9:1

The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!” And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. Lk. 10:17

By virtue of our baptism, we are all called to be evangelists, "to go out to all the world", and through every form of engagement and communication bring the light of the gospel to all people. Just as certainly as did Jesus, we too will be opposed. The gates of hell will stand against us. 

The face of this opposition may not be as obvious as depicted in the opening illustration. As St. Ignatius teaches in his "Rules for Discernment", our enemy will take on the persona of the "angel of light", appearing to be on our side - a welcoming friend, ready to assist us in our calling. That is why the prayer of discernment is so essential for the evangelist to practice.

It is a mark of the evil spirit to assume the appearance of an angel of light. He begins by suggesting thoughts that are suited to a devout soul, and ends by suggesting his own. For example, he will suggest holy and pious thoughts that are wholly in conformity with the sanctity of the soul. Afterwards, he will endeavor little by little to end by drawing the soul into his hidden snares and evil designs. Rule IV wk. II

The Prayer of Examine helps us stay connected with the "Angel of Light" as we strive to live as a true evangelist in whatever way God's Spirit is leading us. In John 15: Jesus reminds us of the importance of staying connected: Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

The following are some links that can help you with the Prayer of examine.

THE PRAYER OF DAILY EXAMINE: Ignatian Spirituality Site.