Today's Gospel tells of Jesus casting out a demon from a man who had been afflicted by the unclean spirit. Our songs usually parallel the readings for any given mass, but one of today's really hit the mark. "Silence! Frenzied, Unclean Spirit!" has been running through me head. Ironically, its page number is even 666.
I believe that there are demons in our world that try to influence our thoughts and decisions. To be clear, I don't believe that this makes us not responsible for our actions. Also, I do not confuse the influence of these demons with legitimate mental illnesses. That said, we are in the middle of a cosmic battle with our very souls at the center.
How do we fight something we can't identify with our senses? The answer is simple and yet terribly difficult at once: live the best life that you can. Jesus has already given us power to cast these demons out. When tempted to do something contrary to what I know is right, or when I find my thoughts drifting into the realm of temptation, I can identify the culprit (usually Pride, Envy, Lust or Sloth) and cast them out. Whether it was truly a demon or not, identifying the source of my inner conflict helps me to make the correct decision or at least point my thoughts in the right direction.
I believe that there are demons in our world that try to influence our thoughts and decisions. To be clear, I don't believe that this makes us not responsible for our actions. Also, I do not confuse the influence of these demons with legitimate mental illnesses. That said, we are in the middle of a cosmic battle with our very souls at the center.
How do we fight something we can't identify with our senses? The answer is simple and yet terribly difficult at once: live the best life that you can. Jesus has already given us power to cast these demons out. When tempted to do something contrary to what I know is right, or when I find my thoughts drifting into the realm of temptation, I can identify the culprit (usually Pride, Envy, Lust or Sloth) and cast them out. Whether it was truly a demon or not, identifying the source of my inner conflict helps me to make the correct decision or at least point my thoughts in the right direction.
RSS Feed
