4th Sunday in Ordinary Time

02-01-2026Pastor's CornerFr. Bob Deehan

The reality of evil in the world manifests itself in various ways, both obvious and subtle. Every time we pray the Our Father, we say: “deliver us from evil.” War, genocide, murder, child abuse, domestic violence and satanic involvement are rather obvious examples. Yet, other types, such as animosity followed by hateful and even unkind words, can be more subtle, such as detraction, slander, and gossip, which can destroy one’s reputation and honor.

These actions, whether obvious or subtle, that are opposed to love/charity and meant to work against a person’s well-being are evidence of evil intent, and when performed are sinful. The devil/evil one is a spiritual reality that we don’t often talk about. Still, it is something we must face often in connection with temptation.

On September 23, 2024, in a general audience, Pope Francis offered a helpful reflection on this topic. He said Christians must acknowledge the reality of the devil acting around them and remain steadfast in resisting his temptations. Reflecting on the Gospel reading from St. Matthew in which Jesus is led into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit to be tempted by the devil, Pope Francis noted that modern technology, in addition to its positive elements, provides "countless means to give an opportunity to the devil" to enter people's lives, "and many fall in the trap." "Think of online pornography, behind which there is a flourishing market: this is a very widespread phenomenon which Christians should beware of and strongly reject," he said. "Any cell phone has access to this brutality, to this language of the devil -- online pornography." The pope commented that contemporary society is "witnessing a strange phenomenon regarding the devil," since "at a cultural level, it is held that he simply does not exist." Rather than be understood as a real agent of diabolic activity, he said the devil today is often viewed as a "metaphor" and enters people's lives through "superstition," as reflected in the secularized world "teeming with magicians, occultism, spiritualism, astrologers, sellers of spells and amulets, and unfortunately with real satanic sects." Yet, "the strongest proof of the existence of Satan is found not in sinners or the possessed, but in the saints," he said. "It is in the lives of the saints that the devil is forced to come out into the open, to cast himself 'against the light.'" All the saints testify to some degree of their struggle with the devil, the pope said, "and one cannot honestly assume that they were all deluded or mere victims of the prejudices of their time.” He encouraged Christians to look to Jesus' example in resisting temptation by "striking with the word of God" and being firm in keeping their distance from the devil. "With the devil one does not dialogue; one sends him away, (keeps him at a) distance," he said. "And all of us have had the experience of how the devil approaches us with some temptation against the Ten Commandments. When we feel this, stop -- distance! Do not approach the dog tied to its chain." (Portions of this piece come from a report by Justin McLellan, “Never Dialog with the Devil,” Catholic News Service, World, Sept. 25, 2024)

God bless you!