SATAN HELPS ME KEEP MY FAITH

If I didn't believe in the existence and activity of Satan and his devils, I would undoubtedly have lost my faith by now. Countless times I've been hurt and disappointed by people in the Church and in various denominations. Of course the best place for a hypocrite is in church, but this has its drawbacks, too. It's not uncommon for a man to feel more comfortable amidst a group of carousers than among sanctimonious church people.

And as I watch the world falling around me, it's so frustrating never (or hardly ever) hearing a priest or preacher condemn homosexual acts and abortion and contraception, etc. from the pulpit. The reason, of course, is that so many people have fallen into grave sin that the cleric is afraid to offend (and lose money and support) from a portion of his congregation. For sermons dealing with these sins, most people have to go to secular television. And how many times have people sought help, for themselves or on behalf of others, from their church, and been denied it? All this tends to discourage one in the faith, and so many leave the church because of the actions of even one member.

I'm a self-centered and sensitive sinner myself, and when I get discouraged by someone or something in the church, I tend to brood over it and am tempted just to walk away and never return. BUT, what tempts me is the Devil, and I realize this. I can see this spiritual being with my spiritual eyes, propped beside me and whispering how I should get angry enough over this discouragement to leave this hypocritical faith and to "do it my way" (which would be his way).

So, I know who to blame for the temptation to let the failures of Christians make me want to give up, and so my belief in the Devil makes me keep the faith. I bet that upsets him! Also I know that my Savior, Jesus Christ, has overcome the power of Satan and of sin, and God is the One we should run to when we're discouraged. And each Mass, during the Consecration, I silently pray for my deceased loved ones to be blessed in Heaven, and for all those I have hurt, and for all those who have hurt me. It's the last part that solidly places the cream pie in the face of Satan.

For further reading I heartily recommend the book, Who Is the Devil? by Nicolas Corte.

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