Pope at Mass: Don't dialogue with
the devil, the great liar
At Mass at Casa Santa Marta, Tuesday morning, Pope Francis
talked about how to deal with the devil who though defeated and dying is still
dangerous.
By Robin Gomes
Never approach the devil nor talk to him: he is
"defeated" but dangerous because he seduces and, like a chained angry
dog, bites if you go to pat him. Pope Francis offered this advice in his
homily at Mass, Tuesday morning, in the chapel of the Casa Santa Marta in the
Vatican.
Commenting on John’s Gospel where Jesus says “the ruler of
this world has been condemned," the Pope spoke about the seduction of the
devil and how to deal with him.
The Pope said that even though the devil is defeated and
dying he has a great power and capacity to seduce. He promises many
things, bringing us beautifully packed gifts, without revealing their
contents.
Dying but dangerous
The Pope compared the devil to a dying crocodile, who
hunters advise not to approach because it can still strike you dead with its
tail. Hence the devil is very dangerous, his proposals are all lies and
we foolishly believe him.
The Pope described the devil as the father of lies, saying
he speaks well, he can sing in order to deceive and he is loser who moves about
like a winner. His light dazzles like the fireworks but does not last.
Instead the light of the Lord is "gentle and permanent".
Never dialogue with the devil
The devil, the Pope said, knows how to seduce us in our
vanity and curiosity and we buy everything, falling into temptation.
Knowing that a thought, a desire or move is dangerous and we still go
there, it is like approaching the devil who is like a chained angry dog that
can still bite.
Unlike Eve who thought herself a “great theologian”
and fell, the Pope said we must never dialogue with the devil because he wins,
he is more intelligent than us. On the contrary, Jesus in the desert responds
to the devil with the Word of God, hunts down demons, sometimes asking his name
but doesn't dialogue.
Pray, watch, fast
Recalling the advice of Jesus to watch, do penance and fast,
Pope Francis said we too must do so but never enter into dialogue with the
devil. And in moments of temptation we must approach the mother, like
frightened children do. According to the Russian mystics, in times of
spiritual upheavals, take refuge under the mantle of the great Mother of God,
the Pope said.
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