Deliver Us From Evil

I loved going to CCD classes as a first-grader.  Our teacher was lovely and played the guitar. We met once a week, read a lesson from a workbook, had a bit of discussion, then were left to run amuck throughout the basement of the church. Oh, and there were cookies.  All was well … until we started talking about angels.

    I, of course, knew about guardian angels. This concept was not new to me. But one particular lesson discussed not only the presence of good, protective angels but shared with us (and all of our six years of wisdom on this earth) that evil walks amongst us.  There were bad angels, and those angels were sent out of heaven.

    So, my mind connected the pieces.  If I had a good guardian angel perched on my shoulder like a celestial parrot, that meant a bad spirit could be following me around as well.  After this lesson, walking down the stairs became an anxiety-producing exercise as I became convinced the shadow of the devil trailed behind me. Our imaginations are powerful things.

Despite my overly phobic reaction and the nightmares that followed, I’m convinced it isn’t a bad thing to teach about evil in our world.  As adults, there is a need to be reminded that the world we live in is not only affected by bad choices and hatred for one another, but also by true evil.  

    Bishop Charles C. Thompson, in addressing the first responders during the homily of the Sept. 29 Blue Mass, reminded those in attendance, “Sometimes we go through life and we don’t want to think of that part of the supernatural, the devil or demons, but Pope Francis reminds us that we need to recognize the devil - there’s evil in our midst. Without that recognition, we fail to appreciate all that God is doing for us.   

    “We believe every human being is created in the image of God.  There’s something of God in every person.  And we look for that image, we strive to be Christ for others and embrace Christ in others, but many of you know that…”

    And with that,  Bishop Thompson’s microphone cut out and his words were lost.  Never at a loss for a quick response, he quipped, “That right there was the devil. Either the devil or Father Tom.” (As in Father Tom Kissel, pastor of St. John the Baptist Parish in Newburgh, which hosted the Blue Mass. Father Kissel is an Indiana fan; and earlier, he had taken a poke at the bishop’s beloved Kentucky Wildcats.)

When Bishop Thompson successfully regained the use of his microphone, he continued by saying, “There’s also the capacity in each of us to do evil. You have to be aware of the effects of evil in our midst.”

This chance happening brought to mind memories of August 2008, when Holy Rosary School in Evansville hosted the Diocesan Back to School Mass. The staff had worked tirelessly creating a welcoming environment, and every last detail had been finely tuned.  At 7:30 a.m., as visitors began to arrive, news came over the walkie-talkies that the church had no power.  None.  No air conditioning, no lights, nothing.  There had been no damaging winds or storms.  The power loss did not affect every building or the neighborhood surrounding the church - only the church. We joked that it was the work of the devil, but jokes often are layered with truth.  With many phone calls to the electric company and even more prayers, power was restored moments before Mass was to begin. Light literally defeated the darkness.

The presence of darkness does not take away the light of God. God is infinitely good, and all his works are good. The presence of evil is not as clear as the cartoon devil whispering in one’s ear; it is more sinister in today’s world.  Evil is not a battle between nations or between races.  It is a battle of each of us and our human heart to hear God’s word, not the deceptive word of evil. And in the meantime, we will call on the mysterious and powerful help of our good angels. Who are not scary.