Can you spot it? Do you know the marks of the diabolical? Do you even know what “diabolical” means? If we were dealing with a social phenomenon we could see that only a place here and there would be affected but we are dealing with a world-wide attack of the devil. He is “diabolical” for he “rends asunder any sort of unity”. Division, discussion and sensuality mark his every move and so we want to speak of this evil being and how to fight his deceits.Our Lady of Fatima showed the ultimate consequences of the devil’s game in a vision of hell in which souls were falling like snowflakes. The saints speak of the fewness of the saved and the multitude that falls into the abyss. In the words of the Gospel today Jesus performs three miracles:
1) he casts out the demon that is causing humanity to be blind and dumb
2) He frees the man’s speech and sight
3) He reads the very thought of the Jewish elite
Everyone is capable of being the demonic just put a negative interpretation on anything that is good. On time I was teaching class and explaining the marks of the demonic of which the first is the mockery of the good. Imagine the catcalls at the Crucifixion of our Lord. “He saved others; Himself He cannot save.” (ha, ha) In the class one young man was influential in helping the elderly and was written up in the local paper. I read the paper and commended the young man. All of the sudden another student mockingly said: “Kissy, kissy.” The rest of the class cried out: “The devil, the devil.” That ended that. When Satan is exposed he becomes powerless. This is why the Jews when they are exposed by Jesus become completely silent.
Now we have two of the marks of the demon’s presence:
1) mockery
2) divisive words
Next in the exposition of the marks we find anger and violence. These Jews will plot to kill the one who knows their every thought. Even today the Synagogue of Satan seeks to eliminate the Catholic through wars, assassinations, poisoning, vaccines and you can name the rest. Violence in tongue issues from a heart filled with evil. This is why we must study God’s word well and crowd out the diabolical by the Truth of God’s Love for us. Jesus has come to cast out the evil one by the finger of God (the Holy Ghost). The Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost work in cooperation against the demons. We can see this violence sown in our children through the virtual reality games. Violence is exploding everywhere and there is no solution unless we return to confession and Holy Communion.
Beyond the mark of violence which indicates that the heart is at war with God then man wants happiness. The soul is dead by the machinations of the devil so the person seeks happiness by giving into the body. Whatever the flesh craves, give it or do it. Sensuality comes in many disguises and only true fasting can bring the soul out of this horrendous state. Drinking, drugs, smoking, fornication, adultery, thefts are all part of the demonic’s infestation of the soul.
Finally, the easiest mark of all to discover the Evil One’s presence is the tongue. How does the soul speak, for out of the “abundance of the heart” the soul speaks. Criticism, complaining, and foul language, all flow from the heart and tell the person in the state of grace that here is “a kingdom divided.” It is essential that we begin to attack the devil wherever he is. He is using every stop possible to form the one world under his satanic miserable rule. We cannot allow it to happen. Pray the rosary more and more. Fast and you will gain power over your soul. Give alms and you will make expiation for your sins. Don’t let this lent pass you by but enter the battle for your soul. In eternity it will be worth the fight now.
In the hearts of Jesus, Mary and Joseph,
Fr. Richard Voigt
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