“Be On Guard”

For many years I have been blessed by the readings of St. Alphonsus Liguori. His writings are always straight forward…. tough and challenging, but you knew what he was talking about. In a recent meditation, he provided some advice on how to battle the evil one.

It has been said by many holy people over the years that one of the devil’s best ploys has been to convince people that he didn’t exist… a figment of their imagination. If he did exist, he’s was actually a kind and funny and clever old guy…pretty harmless, like your old eccentric uncle who sometimes drank a bit too much. I guess I wish that was true and then you could simply ignore him. It’s not true. 

Here’s a few recommendations by Alphonse concerning our battle against Satan:

• In one work, he exposes a common suggestion of the devil when one is tempted to sin: “Just go to confession tomorrow.” Would you, Alphonsus asks, throw away a precious jewel, promising yourself you would find it later? 
• He also notes: “The devil does not bring sinners to hell with their eyes open…. Before we fall into sin, the enemy labors to blind us, that we may not see the ruin we bring upon ourselves by offending God. 
• After we commit sin, he seeks to make us dumb, that, through shame, we may conceal our guilt in confession.”

In these suggestions he uncovers tactics that are shrouded in mist and darkness …..  not overt attacks, but more subtle…”procrastination, blurring of vision, dulling by our shame….”. These strategies seem almost harmless….but they are not. 

Alphonsus, like many holy men and women, experienced more direct and powerful attacks from the devil. In this meditation, it’s reported that “during his last years, Alphonsus suffered grievous betrayal and a dark night, filled with scruples and diabolic illusions.” He battled until the age of 90 when God called this great and holy man home. He was a doctor of the church and founded the Redemptorists. (ref. Magnificat, 3-15-24)

So the devil is real and has caused a lot of havoc since the first days of our “parents” in the garden of Eden. Yet he’s a creature who was never a threat to Almighty God. Jesus called him the father of lies. His tactics always include some element of a lie… half truths and more. So, let us stay close to our savior and remain immersed in the love of God and in Jesus, the truth, and all will be well.