Father&#039;s Reflection 1.28.24

by Father Joel Haug

Are demons real?

In the Gospel this Sunday, it says that “In their synagogue was a man with an unclean spirit; he cried out, ‘What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us?’” (Mark 1:22-23)

Many times in the Gospels, Jesus confronts evil spirits and casts them out, and then He gives authority to His followers to cast them out as well.

Is this still a thing? Or is this an exaggerated account from Scripture? Or an historical lack of understanding of human mental illness which is the real “demon” that Jesus is confronting?

I don’t have the time or space to explain much about demons, but here are some key facts:

1. “Satan and all the evil spirits who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls” are real, as we attest to every time we pray the St. Michael prayer. If we believe in what the Bible says, then we must also believe in evil spirits.

2. Being pure spiritual beings that have a heightened intellect and will, they are very powerful, but they stand no chance against us if we stay close to Jesus, not leaving any “doors” open to them in our life, especially through repeated and intentional sin.

3. Evil spirits have the ability to influence our thoughts and environment, though they are not the sole cause of every bad thing that happens to us or that comes to our mind. On a positive note, they can’t read our thoughts like God can, since our mind belongs to God and not to them, though they can plant thoughts and read from our physiology what we might be thinking.

If they are so real, powerful, and dangerous, why don’t we perceive them more?

Lots of reasons here, but one key reason I want to highlight is this: if we are already comfortably going in the direction they want us to go, that is, drifting away from God and His Church, they have no reason to show themselves and put up resistance. They will instead encourage us to keep this course through fear of change, discomfort, and losing pleasures that we are attached to.

When either we start resisting this “drift” from God or someone speaks with authority like Jesus into our life that we are deceived or going in the wrong direction, you will likely notice more push back from the enemy!

Moral of the story:

Though satan and his companion spirits are real and want to destroy us, they have no power over us if we continue to fight to stay close to Jesus and everything that keeps us united in Him: the Church, the sacraments (especially confession), Scripture, daily prayer, God-centered friendships, and acts of generosity.

Be aware but do not be afraid!

Rejoice in hope,

Fr. Joel