THIS should be no surprise to us. With the way things are now—new technologies offering more temptations than real advantages, and people spiritually and morally impoverished—what can we expect? That’s why requests for exorcism and deliverance have dramatically increased these days, not to mention the increasing cases of mental illness, psychological disorders, suicide, etc.
We should never take the devils for granted. They are always
around, ever scheming and plotting against us in many, many ways, and often in
a manner that is so subtle that we may not even notice them. As St. Peter would
put in his first letter: “Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a
roaring lion seeking someone to devour.” (5,8)
We should never consider the devils as a myth, or as some kind of
literary device only to highlight a point in the drama of our life. They are as
real as you and me. Our problem is that we think lightly or, worse, falsely of
them. And so, we become completely unprepared to deal with their antics.
But in spite of that unfortunate fact of life, we should remember
that the devils cannot do anything against us unless allowed by God. And if
allowed, it is because God in his mysterious providence can always draw a
greater good from any evil the devils may cause in us.
We need to have a good grip on this rapidly emerging menace. And
the first thing to do is to entertain the possibility that indeed these people
who are disturbed by evil spirits are both mentally sick and demonically
bothered.
Yes, while it’s true that the predicament can be an either-or
proposition, we should not dismiss the possibility that it can also be a
both-and one. Not just disjunctive, but also conjunctive. Let’s remember that
the devil is always around. It’s not paranoia to be always alerted of the
devil’s existence and his constant efforts to destroy us, usually in very sweet
ways.
It would be good if we level up in our knowledge of psychology.
This field of science is getting to be more and more relevant these days. It
cannot anymore be the exclusive interest of some people. Everyone should know
at least the basics of psychology and from there start accumulating relevant
helpful information.
But we should never forget that the psychological and mental
mechanism of a person is steeped in his spiritual dimension that can lead him
either to the supernatural or infranatural world. It cannot be studied from the
point of view of empirical science alone. It has to input the truths of faith
to enable it to cope with the full range of its possibilities.
This is a point that should be taken more seriously these days.
The complicated challenges of our times that have brought about many good
things and also many bad things cannot but make this kind of demand. We have to
take our faith more seriously, assimilating it in our system and making it the
guide and shaper of our lives.
With our faith, we have the answer to all the questions, the
solution to all our problems, even if the answers and solutions it offers may
not be the ones we want. But they are the answers and solutions that God
himself gives, and not just us.
Faith is the great healer, the constant pacifier, because it
brings Christ into our lives, Christ who heals and who constantly tells us, “Do
not be afraid...” We should bring our faith to bear on our sciences and on our
other sources of knowledge.
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