The Reality of Satan

Today my beloved parish priest who is fairly orthodox excepting occasional slips into Liberalism. As someone who hasn't given anything remotely resembling the dedication and service he has given to our Church, I want to clarify that I'm not attacking him or his ministry, just the idea he deseminated from the pulpit.

The reading for today was Matthew 4, the Temptation of Christ by Satan. He called this episode folklore that probably resulted from Jesus hallucinating in the desert conditions but that it might have been an inward spiritual experience.

I think this line of argument is dangerous as Satan is a key player in the story of Humanity. Lest we forget, I'll just repeat some of his big moments in the annals of time:
-Primary rebel to God's reign
-author of Sin/innovater of finite good (evil) over infinite good
-chief tempter of humanity which led to our entire fall as a race
-destroyer of Job's life
-ruiner of souls
-tempter of Christ
-accuser of the saints (all Christians)
-prince of this world/this present darkness

C.S. Lewis reminds us that there is an immense danger in acting as if he and his angels (demons) aren't real. And "The Usual Suspects" (good film) reminds us that "the best lie the devil ever told was that he didn't exist".

If we fail to understand the spiritual battle around us, we will be at a loss. Christ died to destroy the works of the devil, and ransom our souls. If that whole story was folklore, someone could've saved Jesus alot of pain and told him to grow up and read Voltaire.

As Catholics we used to have a prayer at the end of our Mass, a prayer that reminded us of all these 'medieval' (*read: biblical) things we believed. I pray that Papa Benny will bring it back.



"Saint Michael the Archangel,
defend us in battle;
be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray:
and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host,
by the power of God,
thrust into hell Satan and all the evil spirits
who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls.
Amen."

Even if the prayer isn't re-instated liturgically, I'm glad when he was still Cardinal Ratzinger, that Pope Benedict XVI has reminded us of the reality of the Devil and evil in the Ratzinger Report, and pointed out that Vatican II frequently mentions the Evil one.

On a lighter note, the new movie Richard Gere and Ethan Hawke movie preview features the St. Michael's prayer prominently, so as the Boondock Saints taught a generation the Signum Crucis, hopefully this will teach others the St. Michael Prayer

Why Are All The Good Catholics Condemned... (don't answer that Protestantism)

I find that every time I read a theologian or philosopher who brilliantly defends the Roman Church against Protestantism and has a real flair, I later find out that our Mother Church has rewarded them with condemnation.

Cornelius Jansen and Blaise Pascal for sure, and to a lesser extent, Peter Kreeft, Hans Urs Von Balthasar. I think it's almost like they're just Augustinians (minus Balthasar) and the Church keeps mistaking Augustine for Luther or something (except read mistaking as not mistaking as the Church can't doctrinally err).



Anyway, add to the list Francois Fenelon. A great orator who helped convert Huguenots and Jansenists back to the Roman cause, and his great reward was: multiple condemnations from Rome and diocesal house arrest... even though the minute his writings were condemned by the Magesterium he submitted completely. (Just like when Jansen said that if any of his writing contradicted the Church he would recant it).

It wouldn't really be such a problem for me, if the Church actually produced good orthodox writers, but it seems -contra Chesterton- that the only orthodoxy available is boredom. Get too excited about any idea, and the Church will condemn it. It's kind of a monument to Lukewarmness.

Anyway, the Church is still Christ's even if she didn't produce alot of good orthodox theologians between 1600 and 1900. And as all these men teach us, we must submit, even if our most precious personal opinions are removed from us.

Strangely enough Marian devotion (which I am in no way against) is the only available option to 'go nuts' with. I've never heard of someone in our Church being condemned for being too Marian. But quote St. Augustine on Predestination or Grace and you'll get shafted.

Requiem in Pace Fenelon.