We and the Catholic Church believes the existence of the devil this does not mean that falling into sin can be said to be the primarily caused by the devil so as to rule out our own personal responsibility. St. John Chrysostom had said “It is not the devil but men’s own carelessness which causes all their falls and all the ills of which they complain”. We fall to temptation not because we lack freedom but we are persuaded to do wrong by choice. The devil tries to get us to deceive ourselves in the act of choosing an apparent good. Satan tries to catch everyone in the false belief that the sin in question is at least not all that bad and that seeming good which is manifested by an appearance of a delightful outcome and personal fulfillment. Satan is expert at getting us to avoid reality.
St. Thomas Aquinas teaches us that the devil can neither take away free will, nor know that is going on in our minds, nor directly intervene in our spiritual life but rather he persuasively influence the imagination and emotions to lead the mind and heart astray. He tries by friendly persuasion to get us to believe that God is our real enemy in the sense that God give us impossible laws and difficulties – sickness, tragedy, tribulations and other setbacks as punishment that God no longer love or cares because he has forgotten or abandoned us. As a result it leads to abandoning God and may no longer go to Mass or confession or spend time in authentic prayer, meditation and contemplation. Another temptation of the devil consists of persuading us to consciences by inventing principles of morality instead of depending upon God’s revelation by eliminating certain norms and invents others which we erroneously think can lead to happiness in this life even to a heaven of their own making in the next.
Now, the question is Why God permits Satan and his evil works to us? We scarcely know any better than the apostles knew why the Lord permits it, nor how he makes it serve God’s designs. God permits the devil to instigate many kinds of evil which are somehow part of HIS loving plan. God does not want to force the good but wants free beings. It is not by an accident that the greatest prayer given by our savior Jesus Christ is the “Our Father” which ends “Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil”
God does not lead us into sin but if someone chooses a sinful action, he lets us have the freedom and consequences of that choice. Hence, the catechism tells us, the believer can fathom a purpose behind the difficulty of temptation. (CCC 412) - God permits evil in order to draw forth some greater good.
Temptations reveals in us in order to teach us to know ourselves and in this way we discover our evil inclinations and are obliged to give thanks for the goods that temptation has revealed to us. This means, that temptations caused by the devil then become the instruments or occasions of God’s interventions on behalf of those that seek him from their hearts. As the catechism teaches (CCC 2847) – The Holy Spirit makes us discern between trials, which are necessary for the growth of the inner man, and temptation, which leads to sin and death. We must also discern between being tempted and consenting to temptation. Thus, discernment unmasks the lie of temptation, whose object appears to be good, “a delight to the eyes” and desirable when in reality its fruit is death. Thus, It is by faith we are given confidence by assuring us that the power of Satan cannot go beyond the limits set by God. Faith likewise assures us that even though the devil is able to tempt us, the heart to prayer in which it finds its victory and its crown. Thus, it enables us to triumph over evil through the power of God. As St. Peter says “
Faith teaches us that the reality of evil is a living spiritual being, perverted and corrupting”.
Faith teaches us that the reality of evil is a living spiritual being, perverted and corrupting”.
The catechism (CCC 2852) gives us a beautiful quotation from St. Ambrose “The Lord Jesus Christ who has taken away our sin and pardoned your faults also protects you and keeps you from the wiles of your adversary the devil, so that the enemy who is accustomed to leading into sin, may not surprise you. One who entrust himself to God does not fear the devil. If God is with us, who is against us”.
Therefore, the need to develop a prayer life so that each and all can face reality as it is and not as anyone desires it to be. The victory is ours when we pray, trust in God and use the faith of the Catholic Church to guide us in our way of life which is not a mere matter of a chosen lifestyle, for morality. Once we abandon prayer and entertain doubts about the deposit of faith and moral teaching, then we permit the devil to persuade us to fall into the sins that are closest to our weak points, we let him deceive us into thinking that our sins are no longer sins and this leads us to the hardening of one’s heart (CCC 1859, 1864).
The catechism (CCC 2848) teaches us that the victory of Christ is such that he does not allow the devil to test us beyond our capacity. 1 Cor 10:13 says- The Lord Jesus Christ entirely defeated the devil for us but he wants us to share his triumph by enduring temptation and choosing him through acts of faith, hope, and love.
So as to what St. Padre Pio says “Pray, hope, and don’t worry! Worry is useless. God is merciful and will hear your prayer. Prayer is the best weapon we have; it is the key to God’s heart. You must speak to Jesus not only with your lips but with your heart. In fact, on certain occasions, you should speak to Him only with your heart.”
Reference: The contribution of St. Thomas Aquinas- The Hidden Enemies of Priesthood, by Fr. Basil Cole, OP, Catechism of the Catholic Church
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