Fourteenth Sunday - 2022

The seventy-two returned rejoicing, and said, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us because of your name." Jesus said, "I have observed Satan fall like lightning from the sky.” Lk. 10:17 The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has released a new book of Pope Francis’s teachings on the history of the devil, “his empty promises and works” and “how we can actively combat him.” Titled Rebuking the Devil, the book is meant for a wide audience and “shows us how to recognize the tricks of the enemy, avoid his traps and defeat his efforts through the power of God in Jesus Christ,” said a May 29 USCCB news release. “In this important book, Pope Francis tells us how to use powerful tools of spiritual combat against the devil,” said Bishop Michael F. Burbidge of Arlington, Virginia, who is chairman of the U.S. bishops’ Committee on Communications. Those tools, he said, include “the word of God, adoration of God in the Blessed Sacrament, participation in the sacraments, fasting, prayer and the intercession of Mary, Mother of God, through the most holy rosary.” “We must recognize that there is a devil who is alive and active, but there is also a shield against him through the power of Jesus Christ!” Burbidge said. CRUX. Click image to the LINK

Rebuking the Devil INTRODUCTION Does the Devil Exist? Make no mistake about it there is a devil. He is alive and active in today's world and shows no signs of letting up. He presents a serious threat to our eternal destiny. He seeks the ruin of our souls. Sometimes the devil makes his presence known in obvious ways, but most often he does so in a subtle, insidious manner. Rarely does he manifest himself in the frightening dramatic fashion often depicted in Hollywood films and in literature in a horror genre about demonic possession and evil spirits; and most often, he attempts to sway us toward self destruction by appealing to our appetites, our passions, and our inclination for comfort, pleasure, and self absorption. Some currents of thought expressed doubt that are the devil is a real entity. Spiritual beings often are dismissed as mere myths in our modern age. An analysis by the centre for applied research in the Apostolate at Georgetown University (CARA) of a 2011 University of Maryland study found that although belief in the devil's existence has remained fairly level among American adults in recent decades, at about 70%, fewer and fewer believe he is a “living being”. Just 31% of all adults in just 17% of Catholics thought the devil to be a living being rather than a “symbol all evil”. “The Devil” or “Satan” is frequently regarded as nothing more than a handy metaphor for human weakness, or for the presence of evil in the world, or a simplistic way of explaining it. At the same time, ironically, there appears to be an unhealthy interest in evil spirits and forces in our culture, as evidenced by a popular fascination with the occult and with exorcisms. Yet, as Pope Francis has pointed out, the devil has been around seeking the corruption of human souls throughout all history. As he said in 2013, “The devil is on the first page of the Bible and he is still there on the last when God has his final victory.” (Morning Meditation, Oct. 11, 2013). (An excerpt from the book)

.