When I read this article, it made me think of the Maria Divine Mercy messages, called "Jesus to Mankind" on Facebook, and the website has a different name too. Many MDM apostles ask, "If the messages encourage the rosary, chaplet, mass, adoration, etc., then they CAN'T be bad. Satan wouldn't encourage these things."
The MDM followers are wrong. There are myriad cases where Satan appeared as good to promote bad. Here is a good article on this topic:
Can evil spirits be good?
A: Yes indeed, evil spirits are experts at deception. Our Lord, speaking of the devil, pointed this out: “When he [the devil] tells a lie, he speaks in character, because he is a liar and the father of lies.” And St. Paul states this explicitly: “And no wonder, for even Satan masquerades as an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14). The modus operandi of demons is deception and dissimulation. For this reason, exorcists are forbidden from engaging in conversation with devils – they may only ask questions necessary for the rite of exorcism itself.
Take the High Road
Read more: http://rcspiritualdirection.com/blog/2013/04/29/can-evil-spirits-be-good#ixzz2S0bCrE23
I don't believe that Satan would/could be allowed to make a specific directive to pray the rosary,or to participate in Eucharistic Adoration. There is a difference between "encouraging good" and a direct reference to the above. Any direction to pray the Rosary, go to confession, or kneel before our Lord in Adoration, cannot be bad, as Satan would NEVER promote them, because the outcome or result, could only be goodness.
ReplyDeleteRead the credentials and experience of the article's author Father John Bartunek.
DeleteThe truth is, Satan is very clever. He knows if he appears to someone and encourages sin, it would be clear to the "seer" that it is Satan and he/she would avoid it completely. Therefore, Satan says things that will make people believe the apparitions are of God. But notice the verse in the bible, "And no wonder, for even Satan masquerades as an angel of light" (2 Corinthians 11:14). I do not believe St. Paul was wrong.
St. Theresa of Avila, when asked if she feared heavenly messages that were from the devil, she said she was terrified! St. Bernadette of Lourdes was afraid that the apparition of Mary might be Satan in disguise and she threw holy water at her. Other seers with Godly lives feared deception and were always cautious before accepting a vision as from God.
If you want to explore this type of spiritual occurrence; that Satan will indeed come in disguise as Mary, St. Michael, etc., then I also invite you to read about the life of Sister Magdalena of the Cross. Miracles were attributed to her, and she appeared so "holy" that the nuns in her convent voted her to be their Mother Superior. She inflicted overly harsh penances on the nuns, and commanded them to perform herculean spiritual practices. Only a very few devout nuns knew something was amiss. It turns out those few nuns were right. Sister Magdalena confessed that as a youth she had made a pact with the devil to achieve a high religious status. All of her actions came from Satan. Before her death, she repented and died in humble sorrow for her earlier actions. To read the article copy this into your browser: http://www.mysticsofthechurch.com/2011/12/sister-magdalena-of-cross-nun-who-made.html
Read the warnings by theologians, priests, and Catholic doctrine that discuss how MDM is not real, and is in fact dangerous to Catholics in particular: http://miraculousrosary.blogspot.com/2013/02/maria-divine-mercy-deception-of-satan.html
Bear in mind that Satan believes in God. It is much easier for an atheist who does not, to ask people not to engage in prayer, communion, confessions or rosary than for Satan to do so. It's all about deception. If Satan can appear as a beautiful angel of light, so can he say the same words as any priest can. I am sure you all know how to tell a lie. You will say or do anything just to achieve your hidden agenda. How much more Satan?
DeleteI think satan is willing to lose the battle in order to win the war. He knows that schism in the church and disobedience to our Holy Father Francis is HUGE. Therefore he is willing to encourage the good in order to aim for his higher goal of schism.
DeleteThis is the problem facing the world today, how to discern between good and evil. That's because on the surface, even good works, saintly and priestly advises and miraculous signs and wonders can be copied by Satan. As the Prince of Liars, Satan will never show his true colors until the last minute when it has achieved its evil agenda.
ReplyDelete