"The power of Satan is, nonetheless, not infinite. He is only a creature, powerful from the fact that he is pure spirit, but still a creature. He cannot prevent the building up of God's reign."
~ Catechism of the Catholic Church, §395
Mercy! I do indeed tend to draw out the devil lurking in people. It's been noted for years, actually, that somehow, my little self has that propensity that if there is someone with the devil in them, my naive encounter or interaction, not knowing consciously at all that the devil is rife within a soul: the devil indeed is poked to react and respond in some way, shape, or form.
Just how it is, but uncanny in this propensity that somehow is part and parcel of my spiritual life and my time here on earth, in the temporal encounters. It also can be in less direct ways, as well. I consider it all the more reason to persevere but also to totally accept and appreciate the Lord's keeping me in protective custody--other than when I step out to try some challenge of which I'm learning the Lord either gently or with consequences, of course, shows me not to proceed, or to step back, to detach.
In some instances, yes, I'm to proceed. Sometimes one must ignore the devil in a soul. Some souls have demons in them well-entrenched, and of which we will always be irksome to those demons. We cannot let the devil thwart what it is we are to be doing in our lives, of course. But sometimes the demonic encounter is not on-going but are one-off's--brief encounters.
Some of it is repetitious, or cunningly now and then. I've read enough classics in spiritual combat and demonic ploys and how to counteract, but I still can be duped seemingly rather easily. And why, I ask of the Lord? Well, as with Jeremiah, sometimes we are brought into situations to do a task, to fulfill an assignment. We don't even want to deal with it, but of course we agree, and we learn ourselves from the encounters--not only more of the wiles and wickedness of the devil--and legions of them--but we learn what is it in a person that needs our prayers very much so.
However, most often, when a person is hosting a devil or several, and is not aware or of which pride or self-deception or other vices have taken over the person's mind and emotions and even soul in some cases, it is as well to stay clear other than to pray and love the soul for it being created by God. If one thinks the person will change just because we happen to realize how the devil has taken up residence and begin to pray, or even attempt with words in our minds or aloud to drive the demon out--we are naive in spiritual combat. As Jesus points out in Scripture, some require prayer and fasting; in other words, it can take time.
Also, we may never be privy to our prayer effort results. It is not really for us to need to know. Just love and pray--without expecting return, or at least without expecting to see the results of our efforts. Love and pray, detach from the stench and the malevolent and the most often quite subtle, nearly indiscernible malicious intent and effects of Satan. And keep focusing on our own spiritual lives, our souls, of reviewing the virtues and practicing them, pray, praise God (great effect on our bodies, minds, hearts, and souls!), and move forward in what it is the Lord calls us to be and do even when the fog and mist seem to keep us from knowing where our next footfall may land.
So it is, that I once more am needing to practice these means of spiritual combat. On the positive and amazing--just yesterday morning at Mass, the priest mentioned some studies or other--statistics--showing that a life of gratitude--being grateful first thing in the morning and continuing in that mode of gratitude, is far more beneficial to the human body itself, the mind, emotions--and as we would know, as well, even if no way to access--beneficial for the soul--than much else we humans try of various health and wellness remedies.
Being grateful, living a life of gratitude, surely would stir the devil, but praise of God is founded upon gratitude, and what greater power against darkness and demonic assaults, than God Himself being glorified?
But also in spiritual combat, when we've poked the devil and it has come out, been made clearly known to us, from even a veritable stranger, such as the woman who breeds the small puppies of which she sold them sick at least with this litter, while I can find out her deception and hope in God just a fluke, now she has been caught in another lie--more direct one, provable with fact. So I have had to be quite firm with the devil that has taken up residence in some aspect of her soul, or mind at least, where lying seems to first exist, in the thoughts and mind.
I will take legal action if I must, to get the refund. But I will give her a chance, after I discovered the check had cleared the day I got the sick puppy, despite her texting Sunday she would refund when the check clears the bank. It is now Tuesday, and my bank account shows the check having been cashed last Thursday. I let her know I will take action if refund not given; she responded she will put check in mail today. We will see; this is all quite temporal on the exterior; business transaction. I will intentionally pray for her tendency to deceive and be deceived herself. Some people become deceived in their thinking, and do not even realize they are deceived. Thus, our prayers needed to combat the devil in that regard, plus our confronting with truth in the temporal realm, and dealing with them through temporal legal means.
As for other examples of combatting the devil, there are numerous! Some demons are as if symbiotically feeding off their host soul. The person may be demonically oppressed. In some instances, we cannot simply pray and be on our way, remove ourselves other than in a way of ignoring and continuing on with what is our purpose, our mission, and also our temporal efforts in what it is we are called to be and do. God handles it always, eventually, sooner and probably in many cases more often, later.
We can always pray from afar from those with more pronounced or on-going demonic infestation, of sorts. It can be quite subtle--emphasis on how subtle and cunning is the devil, particularly when trying to remain in a soul with religious, intellectual, or vanity pride. Usually those with low self-esteem seem ripe for this type of subtle and deceptive demonic infiltration. Can exist in such souls for years and not seem obvious to them or some others, as well. Best to stay clear, though; pray and praise God, love and let the Lord deal with it according to His will and plan.
On occasion--perhaps rare, from my own lived experience--we may be shown a turn around in a soul for whom we've been praying, praising, and loving. Even then, it could be a temporary glimmer to give us all the more faith and hope in God to persevere in prayer, praise, and love, but to remain detached from the person him- or herself in temporal interactions, or if communicate or must interact, to do so with scales dropped from our eyes, so to speak. Just pray, praise, and love without expectation or thinking that a sign of improvement means complete turn around and soul healing. The devil can use such a tactic to cause us to cease our efforts or to then cause us to give up out of upset and disappointment if the soul then is back to its malevolent issues, vices, self-deceptions.
Well, I have yet to pluck up the courage and deal with the temporal pet decision. I've not heard back from the two I mentioned my dilemma in discernment. Merciful heavens, we can see just how no matter our progression in life, in our vocations, such as my being an eremite, within the Consecrated Life of the Catholic Church--that the Lord yet puts us through our paces, sometimes in aspects perhaps connected with our past, something we yet have to come to terms with that we did not previously. Or, it could be that the Lord is providing a blessing, a help, that would challenge and be of physical benefit of some sort. That, I must continue to pray and sort through.
When I was returning some of the small-dog-size items to a store, I recognized the clerk who had months ago commented on my crucifix, and pulled hers out from under her work smock. She said, "I, too, am Catholic" and wanted to know my parish and told me of hers. So when she happened to be my clerk for the returns, I told her of my dilemma and decision I must make and face, and she said she will pray for me.
Plus, with the items I was returning that the pup had not used, when I mentioned briefly the situation of being sold a sick puppy, she said perhaps that is God's answer or signal that this is not what he wants. Yet, we don't know if it was the puppy size or any pet at all, that the Lord prefers not. I also must counter any inclinations to oppositional reaction when someone who tends to be critical or negative, says not to do something. I know my own humanness! So easy to then do what they say not to do!
It is all part of our learning in this life--learning to love, actually. We must sift through all the human ins and outs, know the dark side, the evil forces and inclinations, recognize the devil in others and in ourselves, and rout him out of ourselves--and pray, praise, and love others who are struggling with their demons. And, I am realizing, pray, praise, and love in ourselves, for ourselves. Love as God loves means doing so for all whom He loves, and that includes ourselves. God loves us each and all!
God bless His Real Presence in us!
No comments:
Post a Comment