The video below is a humorous commercial that illustrates that sometimes our enemy, Satan disguises himself in very unlikely ways.
It would seem that one of the more common tactics of Satan in our times is to hide and/or disguise himself. Indeed, in our times he is never more powerful than when he is denied or forgotten. In secular and rationalistic times why should he tip his hand too frequently or do anything that might cause further belief in the supernatural?
In other ages, more noted for faith, and where few denied either the existence of God nor the presences of demons and angels, it would seem that Satan was far more likely to use fear and would often disclose his presence more widely. Demonic torments, obsessions and possessions were more frequent, and people took the presence of demons for granted. Jesus Frequently drove demons out, and exorcism was once a widely used sacramental in the Church.
But the fact is, Satan is no less present today, in fact he may be more present given the widespread darkness of these times.
I can tell you I have surely had to wrestle with him, and there terrible torments for me in my mid thirties. There was a dark presence in my bedroom and I often could nit sleep there for both fear and torment. I slept often in those years in my outer room with the hallway door open. In my own bedroom, terrible demons of anxiety would torment me and deprive me of sleep. And often, when I had finally found relief, and the demons, which may have been gone for weeks, would often suddenly assail me for no apparent cause or activating event.
It was all quite inexplicable from any merely psychological or physical reason. When people would notice my tense looks, I would just say that my anxiety demon had jumped my back, once again. It took me the better part of 15 years to be wholly free from their sudden influence.
Oh, I know there is a devil and that demons are about. I also know that the Lord has rescued me. Thank you Lord, I am largely free of anxiety and my terrors now.
As a spiritual director I can also say I have a few directees who are sorely assailed by demons, much like many of the saints of old were. They are not possessed, but they are tormented, just as I was. And it takes a constant barrage of deliverance prayers and holy water to keep things in check. I will not recount the details, for discretion prevents me from speaking of confidential matters. But let me just say, their torments are real. These are not crazy people.
Yes, Satan is real. I have surely encountered him, and know others who have as well.
But more often today with most, he is quieter. And we moderns are more prone to attribute physical causes to things rather than spiritual ones. Never mind that demons can effect physical things, Satan is quite content not to get the credit in these current times and draws a greater harvest from our foolish denial and redefinition of him and his effects.
Of Satan’s many disguises I have written more HERE.
But for today just this brief reflection that some how this commercial inspired. You may count yourself lucky if you have never encountered Satan or demons in any obvious way. But don’t be too sure about that. Satan and his fallen demons often have their greatest power when we deny or ignore them, or insist that their work is simply explained by disease, insanity or foolish superstition. And while such things are sometimes operative, Satan prefers and relishes the fact that we so quickly conclude that today.
The commercial actually gives some good advice in a humorous way. Namely that we should proceed with caution and not conclude so quickly that our enemy may be lurking in unlikely situations.
The prince of darkness is a gentleman. [Shakespeare]
What play?
Which play? King Lear.
Thank you again, Msgr. Pope for your insight and guidance as we move through the supernatural world while trying to function in the tangible world. Thank you for validating the supernatural and the presence of demons, angels, and Satan.
I guess.. acknowledging these fallen demons, (as you put it) helps meto personally acknowledge the presence of love and the existence of Jesus as our savior.
I suppose Satan must be very pleased by the total loss of discernment displayed in our society and culture that foolishly denies and redefines him and his effects. Watching the video, I’m tempted to desire such an astute, agile and nimble gift of discernment but I’m sure that would only lead to spiritual pride. So in the meantime, St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle, be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the devil, may God rebuke him we humbly pray.
Regarding the video: shaven head and fangs are on the mark, but perhaps they should have shown satan to be a lot younger, a little more aggressive, frustrated, and in the midst of a raving temper tantrum – not that he reveals himself that way, but that in reality he truly hates you / us.
Warning to men: don’t shave your heads because you want to appear more powerful and dominant. That’s a bad sign for you – not that you shaved your head, but that you want to appear more powerful and dominant and you make sort of a marriage with satan by shaving your head for that purpose. Remedy: let it grow out again and keep it orderly in a spirit of humility and obedient discipline.
Those who are tormented: You have a Friend in Jesus and in Mary. Stand close to Mary with Jesus. They love you and protect you from the raving satan.
TaillerHuws, my husband is going bald and I hardly think he looks like the devil.
You totally misunderstood the comment.
Natural bald is beautiful. i was talking about men who shave their heads because they want to appear powerful and dominant…Peace to you.
“The devil’s greatest wile is to convince us that he doesn’t exist.”–Baudelaire.
Be sober. Be watchful for your adversary the devil goes about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he can devour resist him steadfast in the faith. Satan is no gentleman he is a liar and a deceiver, he wants the whole world to worship him. Instead of God. That is why he possessed a Mohammed, and why I think he is possessing Barack Obama today.
Anyone can perform an exorcism of another person or place, but do not do it unless you are properly prepared and understand what you are doing, because if you are successful Satan will never let you rest.
Somewhere I picked up this prayer, which has been a great help over the years: “Begone, Satan, in the name and in the blood of Christ.”
Also, within the Litany of the Saints the Church offers this prayer, which could be part of the daily prayer regime of anyone undergoing these contests.
V. Be to us, Lord, a tower of strength.
R. In the face of the enemy.
V. Let the enemy have no power over us.
R. And the son of iniquity be unable to harm us.
@Alfred F Lee –
Here’s the Catholic view on exorcism, which can be performed only by a priest with the permission of his Bishop in communion with our Church.
http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p2s2c4a1.htm
1673 When the Church asks publicly and authoritatively in the name of Jesus Christ that a person or object be protected against the power of the Evil One and withdrawn from his dominion, it is called exorcism. Jesus performed exorcisms and from him the Church has received the power and office of exorcizing.178 In a simple form, exorcism is performed at the celebration of Baptism. The solemn exorcism, called “a major exorcism,” can be performed only by a priest and with the permission of the bishop. The priest must proceed with prudence, strictly observing the rules established by the Church. Exorcism is directed at the expulsion of demons or to the liberation from demonic possession through the spiritual authority which Jesus entrusted to his Church. Illness, especially psychological illness, is a very different matter; treating this is the concern of medical science. Therefore, before an exorcism is performed, it is important to ascertain that one is dealing with the presence of the Evil One, and not an illness.179
Omnipotent God, whose providence sees and governs all, deign visit our country and our home; command your guardian angels to come to our assistance and guard us against the evil one, care for everyone who lives here, cast away from us the snares of the devil, deliver us from the horrible sins of presumption, abortion, terrorist attacks, from hurricanes, war, fire, anxiety, hunger and pestilence and above all of dryness in our spiritual life.
Protect us from affliction caused by earthquakes, thunder and lightning; let the fertilizing rain in time appropriate to water our fields, protect our harvests against hail and infestations. Grant us O Good God to live in peace, with other countries, with our neighbors, and our own family, but above all with our own conscience.
Give us a holy life and in the end a holy death, let it be the beginning of our eternal blessing, we ask this in the name Jesus Christ crucified, through the intersection of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and all the Martyrs and Saints that praise and glorify you in heaven. Amen.
O Most Holy Trinity!, O Immortal God! Revoke any sentence that has been passed against us The Cross of Jesus Christ has defeated death and evil and will always triumph. The Son of Mary who died on it will defend us. We humble ourselves before you Oh Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, and our mother, we beseech and beg of you that any sentence given in heaven and on earth, against us, against any member of our family and friends, or against our home, or city and our country, in your name O HOLY MOTHER OF GOD, let it be revoke and removed.
AMEN, JESUS, MARY AND JOSEPH
I adhere to everything said even though I try to not always use mention of those “names” that are seldom spoken of when making anything more or less but an analogy to further test our understandings of that balance between “good and evil.” I am not vouched upon to be one fit to speak of absolute “rights” and “wrongs.” But I Know I try My Best To Seek Its Truth; breathe and work towards living it. No need to Complicate Our Fathers Words that Speaks as Clear as It Is Written…;) God Bless brothers and sisters…..
are they assailed by demons because they are holy?
Satan
FATHER GEORGE RUTLER
Satan never looks like Satan.
God so loved the world that he spared us the indignity of making us feel good about ourselves. “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8). If utopians indulge the dangerous sentimentality that thinks Satan is a mythic cipher to explain the problem of evil, Jesus does not. He knows the origin and character of Satan: “He was a murderer from the beginning. When he lies he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44).
Satan hides behind the plural: he pretends to be more than he is, intimidating others by celebrity and popular support. “What do you have to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth?” But in the presence of the Truth, even Satan cannot lie. He drops the plural and confesses what no mortal yet knew: “I know who you are — the Holy One of God!” (Mark 1:24). Our Creator knows more about the problem of evil than we do. Logically, if God did not exist, evil would not be a problem. It would be just an energy equivalent to good. In every age, those who have cooperated with Satan have solved the problem of evil to their satisfaction by saying that it is good. Many of these figures have had a seductive power over people that cannot be explained by simple human charm and persuasiveness.
Satan hates not being God. He is only a creature. His hatred refracts into a hatred of the Church, which is the only power against him in this world. He does not waste his time on false religions, heretics and braggarts. He hates the Sacrament of Reconciliation and tears down Confessionals because he wants to separate man from God. “Although Satan may act in the world out of hatred for God and his kingdom in Christ Jesus, and although his action may cause grave injuries — of a spiritual nature and, indirectly, even of a physical nature — to each man and to society, the action is permitted by divine providence which with strength and gentleness guides human and cosmic history” (Catechism of the Catholic Church #395).
Satan never looks like Satan. He drapes himself in celebrity and humor and humanitarianism, using celebrity to mislead, humor to mock, and humanitarianism to de-humanize. One hatred in him always exposes him for what he is. Because our Lord said that we must become like little children to inherit the Kingdom of heaven, Satan hates babies. With great wisdom, the older Rite for the Baptism of a Child begins: “I exorcise you, unclean spirit, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Come forth, depart from this servant of God, for He commands you, accursed and damned spirit, He who walked upon the sea and extended His right hand to Peter as he was sinking.”
Mage. Pope, it is truly as you say. God continue to bless and protect you and all who live under these influences. And may the world, in all of its modernity, return to the truth. For the battle is met and the enemy is fully engaged.
In suppressing the ed-of-mass prayer to St Michael the Archangel, the Church placed Herself in a serious danger. Indeed She acted a sif the Devil was less dangerous in the times being than in the past, when it is quite the contrary. In brief, as if the Devil no longer existed.
St Michael is a gentleman, he will not impose himself if we believe that we don’t need his protection. And now the Devil is free to act.
Everyone may witness the sad outcomes of that insane decision.
And it is incomprehensible that the Vatican never reinstated that prayer for the last 50 years.
Let GOD arise,
Let His enemies be scattered;
Let all who hate Him flee before His Holy Face.
~Psalm 67
Msgr. Pope,
Thank you for this blog. We need the truth more now than ever before. We need our priest to preach this from the pulpit. We need to realize that souls are at risk by not speaking the truth. The people sitting in the pews need to know that satan is real and his minions are real and that they want every soul they can get their evil claws into especially our children.
Parents, evil is lurking every where and at every corner now. We need to do our best to get informed and listen to the priests who are aware and are not afraid to talk about evil and that it exists. The evils are in our children’s games and in the shows that they watch. These evils are everywhere, and it is our job to get informed and inform ourchildren (age appropriate). We parents, were given one job to do from GOD when HE blessed us with our children and that is to raise them in the faith and to give them back to HIM that’s all.
As Jacques made mention above about the St. Michael prayer, it needs to be prayed again at the end of EVERY MASS in the WORLD now… right now. We also need to bring back the three Hail Mary’s and the prayer for the protection of the Church. Those prayers being taken out have left us unarmed to go out into the world after leaving Mass.
The three Hail Mary’s not only give glory to the Holy Trinity but they are also for breaking satanic packs that are also done in threes.
Our Lord at the Mount of Olives said to Peter in Matthew 26:53
“Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, who will promptly send more than twelve legions of angles to my defense?” We the faithful need to ask for these legions of angels to come NOW to protect the Church. So I am asking now:
Father, we ask You now: please,send these twelve legions of angels with chalices of strength out into the Gethsemane of the Holy Church to defend and assist our priests, and the faithful so we may faithfully fulfill our missions for the love of Thee! I ask this in the Name of Thy Son our Lord Jesus Christ.
God Bless
“Keep your hearts free, my beloved, from poisonous lies inspired by the devil.”
~Pope St. Leo the Great
I totally agree. I started a blog about demons and angels because I want people to be aware of their presence. When we mock the spiritual realm, we leave ourselves open to attack. We can’t fight an enemy we don’t believe exists. And if we think angels don’t exist, we won’t call on them for help. My blog is at http://www.AngelicaBelle.com. I’d love to hear from all of you.
Can we not recite the St.Michael Prayer on our own even if it’s no longer said after Mass? At least St.Michael can still protect us if we let him.is the Vatican 11 also responsible for veils no longer worn in Church? We should bring that back too.