The Devil and Demons

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The Devil and Demons

The Church teaches that the Devil and the Demons were at first good angels made by God, but they became evil by their own doing.

St. Thomas Aquinas speculated that Lucifer was probably a Cherub rather than a Seraph, since the burning love of Seraphim is opposite to pride, whereas great knowledge of the Cherubim can more easily lead to pride.

What could have caused Lucifer, one of the highest angels, who excelled in the knowledge of God, to reject God forever?

Teresa of Avila provides an insight. She writes “I believe His Majesty desires to bring us along this way (the way of suffering, trials, crosses and difficulties) for our own good so that we may understand well what little we amount to. The favors that come afterward are of such great worth that He desires first that before He gives them to us, we see by experience our own limitations so that what happened to Lucifer will not happen to us. Life 11:11

Because he has no physical body, the devil did not experience his limitations especially through suffering.

Thinking he had not limitations,

·       Lucifer thought he did not need God,

·       So, he did not want God

·       and made no space in his life for God.

o   That is why he is in hell.

§  He had no space for God in his life.

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Reflecting on the Great Depression, my grandfather used to say, “It wasn’t so bad, at least the Churches were full.”

I think that what he was getting at was that when things are uncertain and we faced things that are out of our control, times in which we experienced out human limitations daily, then we realized more clearly that we needed God and it caused us to pursue God.

Since the Great Depression, and certainly since WWII we in the West have experienced unparalleled prosperity, certainty and comfort.

We have it so good in every area of life that we no longer think we need God. And if we think we don’t need God then we won’t thank him on Sunday at Mass (only 12-15% of all baptized Catholics in America go to Mass every Sunday. It’s roughly 2% in Europe and Canada); and we won’t spend time with him in meditation; and since we don’t need him, we won’t obey his moral laws.

This is the sin of Pride.

Pride says: I have everything I need; therefore, I don’t need God. I can manage just fine without him.

When we don’t need God then we don’t even want God.

In fact, the things of God, like Sunday Mass, prayer and obedience to his moral law actually get in the way of our life.

Then the most dangerous thing of all happens, we develop an aversion to God. We begin to dislike God and all His stuff.

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Lucifer and one third of the angels became evil by their own doing and they chose Hell

How could someone chose hell.  

Pride is the beginning of all sin which is to turn away from God.

When we make turning away from God a habit, it results in an aversion for God and the things of God.  If we have an aversion to God, then we won’t like doing things related to God. We won’t want to spend time in prayer, or go to Mass or Confession, or learn our faith or live according to the moral teachings of Jesus.

This is so dangerous because if we live with an aversion to God then, when we die and see God after death, we will still have this aversion. It will be our habit, our nature and we will reject Him. I mean, hey, if you had an aversion to being with God while on earth, an aversion to Mass and prayer and obedience to his moral law, then that becomes second nature to you – it actually becomes your nature – we create an evil nature out of ourselves.

But that won’t change at death. If you don’t choose Heaven now, you won’t choose heaven then.

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Humility saves us from pride and hell.

Humility is knowing two things:

A.  I am not God. I don’t have everything I need. I have limitations. Therefore, I need God and I want him.   

B.  I am His immeasurably beloved and precious son. I am worthwhile, I have gifts, talents, and strengths that are needed for the good of others.

See, it all rides on experiencing our limitations, accepting them, and allowing those limitations to turn us to God to be filled by Him.

Our limitations, crosses, trials and sufferings are our greatest asset! 

They make us recognize we need God. When we need God, then we desire God. That desire creates a space for God to fill us, to divinize us – that is – make us like God. And when we become God-like we surpass our limitations infinitely! That is what Lucifer missed.

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Our limitations are our greatest asset

·       They may be physical, intellectual, psychological,

·       It may be that your kids are growing up and leaving you behind so to speak,

·       it may be the death of a spouse,

·       old age and infirmity;

·       it may be that you are a gifted professional and you take on too many opportunities, too many projects, or clients, or patients and the weight is now crushing you;

·       or you may just find that you face circumstances you cannot change.

o   These are our limitations.

These are your greatest assets because you can’t overcome them! Oh you can make them worse, that’s for sure, by forcing your will or your way, but you can’t remove your limitations by your will power. You CAN have your limitations removed and obliterated by humility. By accepting your limitations and turning to God and saying: “Help me. My life is out of control and unmanageable. I need you.”

This creates a space for us to be filled by God and divinized – that is – made like God, God-like. And when we become God-like we surpass our limitations infinitely!

This is what the devil missed completely. The devil wants us to focus on the limitations, the loss, the frustration, fear and the sorrow. Then the devil wants us to Blame God for it and hate Him

Focus instead on turning to God, asking Him to fill limitations, the space He is carving out, with Himself, making you God-like, free, powerful, beautiful, and full of His divine life.