The devil versus St Padre Pio

 Many people throughout the world are well aware of the Italian priest affectionately named "Padre Pio" who bore the stigmata for exactly 50 years and 3 days---longer than any known stigmatic in the history of the Catholic church. The miracles God wrought through this holy Capuchin friar are also well known. But surely what is less known about him are the many demonic battles he was forced to undergo to snatch souls from the demons. 

 Padre Pio spent countless hours each day hearing the confessions of sinners, and the devil was to make him pay for bringing souls to Jesus. Father Joseph Martin, O.F.M. Cap. who was Padre Pio's close companion the last three years of his life tells the story of how one night the devil beat Padre Pio so severely that he fell on the floor of his cell and cut his head quite badly. The next morning, when Father Martin came to his aid and asked what had happened, Padre had told him how the devil had beat him. Furthermore, a blood-stained pillow, which is kept to this day in his cell at Our Lady of Grace Friary had been found underneath the Padre's head. When asked where all the blood on it came from, he claimed that the Blessed Virgin Mary had placed it under his head during the night, while She consoled and comforted him.

 But there were many other times where Padre Pio was beaten by the demons, as stated in his letters to his spiritual director:

  "The ogre [devil] won't admit defeat. He has appeared in almost every form. For the past few days he has paid me visits along with some of his satellites armed with clubs and iron weapons and, what is worse, in their own form as devils. I cannot tell you how many times he has thrown me out of bed, and dragged me around the room. But never mind! Jesus, our dear Mother, my little Angel, St. Joseph and our father St. Francis are almost always with me .... (Letter to Padre Agostino, Jan. 18, 1912.)

 The devil does not cease to appear to me in his horrible forms and to beat me in the most terrible manner .... (Letter to Padre Agostino, March 21, 1912.)

 I had a very bad time the night before last; from about 10pm, when I was in bed, until five o'clock in the morning, that wretch did nothing but beat me continually. At five in the morning, when that wretch left me, my whole body became so cold that I trembled from head to foot like a reed exposed to a violent wind. This lasted for a couple of hours. I spat blood .... (Letter to Padre Agostino, June 28, 1912.)

 The beloved Mystic & Stigmatic, St Padre Pio

 Listen to what I had to endure a few evenings ago from those impure apostates. The night was already well advanced when they began their attack with  the most hellish noises, and although I saw nothing in the beginning, I understood who was making the strange noise. Instead of being frightened, I got ready to fight them with a scornful smile on my lips. Then they appeared to me in the most abominable forms and to make me act dishonorably they began to present themselves to me all dressed up [as a woman], but, thank heaven, I scolded them severely and treated them as they deserve. 

 Then, when they saw all their efforts going up in smoke, they hurled themselves on me, threw me to the ground and proceeded to beat me very severely, throwing pillows, books and chairs around the room, with desperate shrieks and most obscene lan­guage .... (Letter to Padre Agostino, Jan. 18, 1913.)

 They flung themselves upon me like so many hungry tigers, curs­ing me and threatening to make me pay for it. My dear Father, they kept their word! From that day onward they have beaten me every day .... (Letter to Padre Agostino, Feb. 1,1913.)

 Jesus never stops loving me in spite of all my shortcomings, for he allows those ugly-faced creatures to afflict me incessantly. For the past twenty-two days Jesus has allowed them to vent their anger on me continually. My body, dear Father, is bruised all over, from all the blows it has received at the hands of our ene­mies. More than once they even went so far as to pull off my nightshirt and beat me in that state .... (Letter to Padre Agostino, Feb. 13, 1913.)

 Satan with his malignant ways never tires of waging war on me and attacking my little citadel, besieging it on all sides. In a word, Satan is for me like a powerful foe who, when he resolves to capture a fortress is not content to attack one wall or one ram­part, but surrounds it entirely, attacks and torments it on every side .... (Letter to Padre Benedetto, Aug. 4,1917.)

 So far we have seen how Lucifer is a frightening adversary, most especially for the victim souls who are called to suffer for the conversion of sinners. The devil is in fact very powerful and should be taken seriously. In closing with St Padre Pio, let us read his words which tells us just how powerful a enemy we have in the devil:

 "We must have no illusions about the enemy who is exceedingly strong, if we do not intend to surrender. In the light infused by God the soul understands the great danger to which it is exposed, if it is not continually on its guard". -Letter to Padre Agostino, St Padre Pio,  May 9,1915. 

 "The tempter, ever on the watch, wages war most violently against those whom he sees most careful to avoid sin"  -St. Leo the Great, died, 461

 Source

https://www.mysticsofthechurch.com/2013/12/the-battle-for-souls-mystic-saints-vs.html?m=1

How can we know if something comes from the Holy Spirit or evil spirit: DISCERNMENT

 The Christian life is a big battle. We need strength and courage to withstand the temptations of the devil and to proclaim the Gospel. How can we know if something comes from the Holy Spirit or if it stems from the spirit of the world or the spirit of the devil?

  The only way is through the gift of discernment. This is something more than intelligence or common sense. It is a gift which we must implore. If we ask with confidence that the Holy Spirit grant us this gift, and then seek to develop it through prayer, reflection, reading and good counsel, then surely we will grow in this spiritual endowment.

  The gift of discernment has become all the more necessary since contemporary life offers immense possibilities for action and distraction, and the world presents all of them as valid and good. “All of us, but especially the young, are immersed in a culture of zapping. We can navigate simultaneously on two or more screens and interact at the same time with two or three virtual scenarios. Without the wisdom of discernment, we can easily become prey to every passing trend,” says GAUDETE ET EXSULTATE, Apostolic Exhortation from Pope Francis.

 Discernment is necessary not only at extraordinary times, when we need to resolve grave problems and make crucial decisions. It is a means of spiritual combat for helping us to follow the Lord more faithfully. We need it at all times, to help us recognize God’s timetable, lest we fail to heed the promptings of his grace and disregard his invitation to grow.

 Often discernment is exercised in small and apparently irrelevant things, since greatness of spirit is manifested in simple everyday realities. It involves striving untrammelled for all that is great, better and more beautiful, while at the same time being concerned for the little things, for each day’s responsibilities and commitments. “Discernment also enables us to recognize the concrete means that the Lord provides in his mysterious and loving plan, to make us move beyond mere good intentions,” says GAUDETE ET EXSULTATE.

 Spiritual discernment does not exclude existential, psychological, sociological or moral insights drawn from the human sciences. At the same time, it transcends them. Nor are the Church’s sound norms sufficient. We should always remember that discernment is a grace. Even though it includes reason and prudence, it goes beyond them, for it seeks a glimpse of that unique and mysterious plan that God has for each of us, which takes shape amid so many varied situations and limitations.

 “It involves more than my temporal well-being, my satisfaction at having accomplished something useful, or even my desire for peace of mind. It has to do with the meaning of my life before the Father who knows and loves me, with the real purpose of my life, which nobody knows better than he,” Pope says. Ultimately, discernment leads to the wellspring of undying life: to know the Father, the only true God, and the one whom he has sent, Jesus Christ. It requires no special abilities, nor is it only for the more intelligent or better educated. The Father readily reveals himself to the lowly.

 We must remember that prayerful discernment must be born of a readiness to listen: to the Lord and to others, and to reality itself, which always challenges us in new ways. Only if we are prepared to listen, do we have the freedom to set aside our own partial or insufficient ideas, our usual habits and ways of seeing things. In this way, we become truly open to accepting a call that can shatter our security, but lead us to a better life.

  It is not a matter of applying rules or repeating what was done in the past, since the same solutions are not valid in all circumstances and what was useful in one context may not prove so in another. The discernment of spirits liberates us from rigidity, which has no place before the perennial “today” of the risen Lord. The Spirit alone can penetrate what is obscure and hidden in every situation, and grasp its every nuance, so that the newness of the Gospel can emerge in another light.

 Source: GAUDETE ET EXSULTATE

DEVIL IS NOT A MYTH, HE’S ROAMING AROUND US

 Devil is a reality. He roams around corrupting people and destroying their lives and soul.

 There’s a belief even among some Catholics that devil is just symbolic representation. No, that’s not true. Devil is not a myth or a representation or a symbol or a figure of speech or an idea. This mistake would lead us to let down our guard, to grow careless and end up more vulnerable.

 The devil does not need to possess us. He poisons us with the venom of hatred, desolation, envy and vice. When we let down our guard, he takes advantage of it to destroy our lives, our families and our communities. As 1 Peter 5:8 says, “Like a roaring lion, he prowls around, looking for someone to devour.”

 “We will not admit the existence of the devil if we insist on regarding life by empirical standards alone, without a supernatural understanding. It is precisely the conviction that this malign power is present in our midst that enables us to understand how evil can at times have so much destructive force,” says GAUDETE ET EXSULTATE, Apostolic Exhortation from Pope Francis.

  True enough, the biblical authors had limited conceptual resources for expressing certain realities, and in Jesus’ time epilepsy, for example, could easily be confused with demonic possession. Yet this should not lead us to an oversimplification that would conclude that all the cases related in the Gospel had to do with psychological disorders and hence that the devil does not exist or is not at work. Devil is present in the very first pages of the Scriptures, which end with God’s victory over the devil.

 Indeed, in leaving us the Our Father, Jesus wanted us to conclude by asking the Father to “deliver us from evil”. That final word does not refer to evil in the abstract; a more exact translation would be “the evil one”. It indicates a personal being who assails us. Jesus taught us to ask daily for deliverance from him, lest his power prevail over us, GAUDETE ET EXSULTATE says.

  Our life is a constant struggle against the devil, the prince of evil. Jesus himself celebrates our victories. He rejoiced when his disciples made progress in preaching the Gospel and overcoming the opposition of the evil one: “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven” (Luke 10:18).

 For this spiritual combat, we can count on the powerful weapons that the Lord has given us: faith-filled prayer, meditation on the word of God, the celebration of Mass, Eucharistic adoration, sacramental Reconciliation, works of charity, community life, missionary outreach. If we become careless, the false promises of evil will easily seduce us. As the sainted Cura Brochero observed: “What good is it when Lucifer promises you freedom and showers you with all his benefits, if those benefits are false, deceptive and poisonous?”

 Pope Francis says God’s word invites us clearly to “stand against the wiles of the devil” (Eph 6:11) and to “quench all the flaming darts of the evil one” (Eph 6:16). These expressions are not melodramatic, precisely because our path towards holiness is a constant battle. Those who do not realize this will be prey to failure or mediocrity.

 We are not dealing merely with a battle against the world and a worldly mentality that would deceive us and leave us dull and mediocre, lacking in enthusiasm and joy. Nor can this battle be reduced to the struggle against our human weaknesses and proclivities (be they laziness, lust, envy, jealousy or any others).

 “Those who think they commit no grievous sins against God’s law can fall into a state of dull lethargy. Since they see nothing serious to reproach themselves with, they fail to realize that their spiritual life has gradually turned lukewarm. They end up weakened and corrupted,” Pope’s Apostolic Exhortation says.

 Spiritual corruption is worse than the fall of a sinner, for it is a comfortable and self-satisfied form of blindness. Everything then appears acceptable: deception, slander, egotism and other subtle forms of self-centredness, for “even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14).

 Be on your guard. Let Holy Spirit guide us. Not the evil spirit.

 n GAUDETE ET EXSULTATE, Apostolic Exhortation of Pope Francis.

HAGIA SOPHIA: TURKEY’S PUSH AGAINST CHRISTIANITY

 Turkish President’s recent order allowing the historic Hagia Sophia, which was once a church, to be opened for Muslim prayers has upset millions of Christians across the world.

 Pope Francis has said he was “very distressed” over Turkey’s decision to convert the Byzantine-era monument Hagia Sophia back into a mosque. “My thoughts go to Istanbul. I’m thinking about Hagia Sophia. I am very distressed,” the pontiff said in the Vatican’s first reaction to a decision that has drawn international criticism.

 Eastern Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople lamented the decision. He said Hagia Sophia belongs not only to those who own it at the moment but to all humanity. “The Turkish people have the great responsibility and honour to make the universality of this wonderful monument shine,” he said, adding that as a museum it serves as a “symbolic place of encounter, dialogue, solidarity and mutual understanding between Christianity and Islam.”

 Bartholomew, the spiritual leader of 300 million Orthodox Christians, further warned conversation would “push millions of Christians around the world against Islam.”

 The decree followed a ruling from Turkey’s top administrative court which revoked Hagia Sophia’s status as a museum, saying the ancient building's conversion was illegal. Since 1934, the building has been a living example of religious harmony in the form of stone. In recent years it has become the most popular tourist attraction in Turkey, drawing over 3.5 million visitors during 2019.

 Hagia Sophia was built by the Byzantine Christian Emperor Justinian in 537 and dedicated to Divine Wisdom. The structure was originally built to become the seat of the Patriarch of the Eastern Orthodox Church and remained so for approximately 900 years. After the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople in 1453, the basilica was converted into a mosque and the city renamed Istanbul. The structure of the monument was then subjected to several interior and exterior changes where Orthodox symbols were removed or plastered upon and minarets were added to the exterior of the structure. For a long time, the Hagia Sophia was Istanbul’s most important mosque.

 In 1934, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founding father of the Republic of Turkey, turned Hagia Sophia into a museum, which later became a UNESCO world heritage site.

  When Turkish President Erdogan entered politics a little less than three decades ago in Turkey, observers say the status of the Hagia Sophia was not particularly on his agenda. On the contrary, he once objected to the calls to convert it into a mosque. But his rhetoric changed in 2019 during municipal elections in Istanbul that he ended up losing.

 The next instance when Erdogan brought up the subject of converting the Hagia Sophia coincided with US President Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Observers believe that Erdogan’s plans for the conversion of the Hagia Sophia are closely connected with his attempts to score political points more than anything else and perhaps to drum up political support that he has seen diminishing following his loss in Istanbul’s municipal elections last year.

DEVIL THROWS SEEDS OF SUSPICION IN FAMILIES. DON'T ALLOW THE SERPENT TO BREAK FAMILIES

There're many reasons for marital discords in a couple's life. A suspicious wife or husband is a reason for problems in married life. Suspicion can be due to genuine or imaginary factors. Devil plays a big part in both.
 It's devil's game. Throw seeds of suspicion in the minds of wife and husband. It leads to arguments, bickering and further complications. The result is that there's loss of happiness and peace in the families. Devil also becomes happy.
 Jesus Christ doesn't want this situation. It requires sustained and hard efforts by both husband and wife to destroy the games being played Devil and return to Jesus.
 Devil has managed to split many families by throwing seeds of suspicion. Marriages have ended in divorces -- a sad situation that grieves the Holy Spirit. It also affects the children in the families as they grow up seeing parents constantly fighting over mere suspicion.
 The unfortunate thing is that most of the time suspicion is just imagination or illusion. It can be a psychological abnormality or psychiatric issue that needs medical counselling and help.
These days, seeds of suspicion are mostly planted by devil in families. Devil doesn't want a family to succeed and grow up in the faith, love and protection of God. Families need to overcome the manipulation of devil. Husbands and wives should understand that devil is trying to destroy relationships.
 What's the way out? Ask for wisdom and discernment. Intensify your prayers. Talk to Jesus Christ every minute. Seek forgiveness. Let Holy Spirit guide your thoughts, words and action. Seek His help to control your tongue. Ask St Michael the Archangel to guard you.
 Devil must be defeated. We can't afford to give him a chance. If you yield an inch, devil will take full control.
Jesus has showed the way. We belong to Jesus. The spirit of suspicion should be destroyed.
 As the Bible says, "Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."
 Victory is ours. We belong to Jesus.

Three powerful sacramentals to have in your home

These three sacramentals -- Holy Water, Crucifix amd Blessed Salt -- keep devil away  

The use of sacramentals is one of the most misunderstood practices in the Catholic Church. Even if they have been part of the Church’s life from the very beginning, they are commonly (and mistakenly) viewed as some sort of superstition.

 This is largely due to the fact that many Catholics over the centuries have used sacramentals in a superstitious way as they were not taught how to use them properly. Instead of using them with faith, some Catholics used them as magic charms, rather than instruments of grace.

 This is unfortunate, as sacramentals are meant to enrich the spiritual lives of believers, not hinder them. They have been instituted by the Church to draw us into a deeper relationship with Christ and are focused on sanctifying every part of our lives. Sacramentals are extensions of the seven sacraments and bring the grace of God into everything that we do.

 One place where sacramentals are especially powerful is in your own home. If used in a spirit of faith, sacramentals can protect us from spiritual harm or inspire us to live a holy life dedicated to God.

 Here are three such sacramentals that, if used properly, can provide a spiritual boost to the home as well as keep away spiritual enemies lurking in the shadows.

HOLY WATER

 Holy water has a double meaning of reminding us of our baptism as well as a symbol of spiritual cleansing. Holy water is said to have great power over the devil as the devil cannot stand this “clean” water, since he is entirely unclean for all eternity. It is a reminder of the water that flowed out of Christ’s side, which is a symbol of Baptism, and brings to mind the day of the devil’s defeat (that is, Christ’s crucifixion).

 It is an ancient custom to have what are called “holy water stoups” or “holy water fonts” on the walls of a home. They are elaborate or simple cups that hold holy water, which can then be used to bless oneself throughout the day. It is especially helpful to have them at the doors that lead outside the house as well as in the bedrooms of family members. That way we keep ourselves always fixed on Christ and remind ourselves to remain pure. It also keeps the holy water handy when needed to ward off any influence of the Evil One.

BLESSED SALT

 If possible, it is also good to have a small container of blessed salt in your home. You would have to specifically ask your parish priest to provide that for you and odds are likely that your parish priest would not be familiar with it. This is one sacramental that is often neglected and is not typically used in parishes. However, it is a powerful weapon against evil as can be seen by the following portion of the blessing said by the priest found in the Roman Ritual.

 Almighty and everlasting God, we humbly implore you, in your immeasurable kindness and love, to bless (+) this salt which you created and gave to the use of mankind, so that it may become a source of health for the minds and bodies of all who make use of it. May it rid whatever it touches or sprinkles of all uncleanness, and protect it from every assault of evil spirits. Through Christ our Lord.

CRUCIFIX

 Another very powerful sacramental that is more typically found in our homes is the crucifix. Not only does a crucifix remind us of the great love that God had for us, but it also is a strong deterrent to spiritual enemies. The crucifix is the bane of Satan’s existence and is the sign of everything that he despises. It is beneficial to have a crucifix in every room in your house (or apartment) so that you can frequently meditate on Jesus’ great sacrifice of love as well as have an image to remind you what you need to focus on during times of temptation.

 Here are two prayers of blessing a crucifix in the Roman Ritual which sum up all the reasons we need them in our homes.

Holy Lord, almighty Father, everlasting God, be pleased to bless + this cross, that it may be a saving help to mankind. Let it be the support of faith, an encouragement to good works, the redemption of souls; and let it be consolation, protection, and a shield against the cruel darts of the enemy; through Christ our Lord.

 Lord Jesus Christ, bless + this cross by which you snatched the world from Satan’s grasp, and on which you overcame by your suffering the tempter to sin, who rejoiced in the first man’s fall in eating of the forbidden tree. Here it is sprinkled with holy water. May this cross be hallowed in the name of the Father, + and of the Son, + and of the Holy + Spirit; and may all who kneel and pray before this cross in honor of our Lord find health in body and soul; through Christ our Lord.

Source: www.aleteia.org