We Cannot Turn A Blind Eye To Evil

Father Gabriele Amorth (1925-2016) passed away in September.  Father Gabriele was an Italian priest and exorcist for the Diocese of Rome.  It is reported that in his lifetime, Father Gabriele performed 160,000 exorcisms.  So, if he had started this ministry at the age of one, he would have completed almost 1,759 exorcisms per year, every year for his entire life.

    Obviously, he started his ministry much later in life, which means the number of exorcisms performed per year was much greater.  It should be noted that these rituals sometimes took minutes or hours, and some were performed repeatedly on the same persons.  Nevertheless, this is an astonishing number and one that we might rather not think much about.

    My brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ, it is clear in the Gospels that Christ and the apostles were faced with those possessed by demons; and accounts of possession have not stopped throughout history. In today’s world, I read news that these accounts are not fading but growing; and when I read or watch the news, I am sadly not surprised.

    We must maintain our focus on the loving face of God as we walk this path of life, but to do so while turning a blind eye to the reality of evil in our world is a catastrophic choice.  We must continue to pray ever more fervently for our families and communities in the face of the persisting evil that inhabits this world.  We must pray for the collective whole of humanity as well as individuals in order to correct this course.

    This may seem a daunting task, yet all things are possible through the grace of God and through the timeless ministry of the Church.  We are all, each one of us, called to be priests, prophets and kings through our sacramental life in Christ; and it is through this calling that we gain the strength we need to carry on this battle.

    I will go out on a limb here and state that prayers against evil and for God’s mercy to prevail are like millions of arrows loosed on this field of battle.  They have immediate impact in this spiritual warfare that rages on around us every day.

    Please make no mistake.  We are all engaged in this warfare through our baptism, regardless of whether we like it.  Be strong my friends, for Jesus Christ is with us; and if Jesus Christ is with us, then who can be against us?