You may remember that the ritual we use for Baptism contains three exorcisms. You should see the look on the face of the families when they realise that their child is about to be exorcised. How do you feel about that?
It's all a bit uncomfortable. Perhaps you have seen that famous film The Exorcist and still have nightmares about it. It's rather sensational, but why do we exorcise babies when they aren't levitating in their cots and throwing people out of windows?
[PAUSE]
First, we have to remember that the Devil does actually exist. Our Lord speaks about him using the names Satan and Beelzebub. The Devil is the one that can hurt both body and soul in hell. We also know that it is the Devil who tempts us to sin just as he tempts Our Lord. It is the Devil who is responsible for tempting us, but we are the ones who are responsible for how we act when we're tempted. That's the terrible thing.
The Devil wants us away from God permanently because he is away from God permanently and he will do anything to accomplish that.
This is why we have something to worry about. We don't need to be violently possessed to be influenced strongly by the Devil! He can possess us from outside using his temptations, thus making us his possessions.
This is why we exorcise people - even babies! - at Baptism. All humans are infinitely precious to God and it makes sense that the Devil already has his designs on them. By driving away the Devil and his followers away from someone being baptised, we are doing just as Jesus would want us to do and gives us the power to do it. We make as strong a statement as we can to the Devil and to the world that the person being baptised is a child of God and is being saved by the blood of Christ by becoming part of the Church. We tell him very clearly that those who are baptised are not possessions of the Devil.
We know that we live in evil times, however God is with us. We know things seem black and that we keep sinning and walking away from God. Whether or not we are Baptised, the Devil is still too strong for us. An archangel fighting against a fallible human being is not going to find much of a match. However, there is something that he wants us to forget - the words of Our Lord Jesus.
When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace; but when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils.When Our Lord says this, He speaks of the Devil as a strong man who keeps human beings as his possessions. In seizing Our Lord in the same way, the Devil finds himself in the grip of someone much more powerful. How do we know? Our Lord uses just the finger of God to drive him out. A finger is all it takes.
[PAUSE]
As the Church is united to Christ by Baptism, we find ourselves united with Christ in our fight against the Devil. This means we can trust that God has the victory over Sin, Death and the Devil. The world around us may be blackened by the works of Satan, but we can look through that blackness by clinging to the Cross and seeing the beautiful creation of God through His light that dispels darkness.
Sometimes that takes a bit of doing. We still need to watch out. We need to be sober and vigilant because our enemy the Devil walks around seeking whom he may devour. We must resist him steadfast in our faith, come what may. However, through repentance and prayer, and seeking the Kingdom of God, our struggles and suffering at the Devil's hand will not be fruitless in the eyes of God. We are being saved from Satan right now through Our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Evils of the World will cease to affect us. Do we dare believe that?
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