Demonic attacks on the
rise
By
Fr. ROY CIMAGALA,
roycimagala@gmail.com
February 3, 2025
THIS should be no surprise
to us. With the way things are now – new technologies offering more
temptations than real advantages, and people spiritually and morally
impoverished – what can we expect? That’s why requests for exorcism
and deliverance have dramatically increased these days, not to
mention the increasing cases of mental illness, psychological
disorders, suicide, etc.
We should never take the
devils for granted. They are always around, ever scheming and
plotting against us in many, many ways, and often in a manner that
is so subtle that we may not even notice them. As St. Peter would
put in his first letter: “Your adversary, the devil, prowls around
like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour.” (5,8)
We should never consider
the devils as a myth, or as some kind of literary device only to
highlight a point in the drama of our life. They are as real as you
and me. Our problem is that we think lightly or, worse, falsely of
them. And so, we become completely unprepared to deal with their
antics.
But in spite of that
unfortunate fact of life, we should remember that the devils cannot
do anything against us unless allowed by God. And if allowed, it is
because God in his mysterious providence can always draw a greater
good from any evil the devils may cause in us.
We need to have a good
grip on this rapidly emerging menace. And the first thing to do is
to entertain the possibility that indeed these people who are
disturbed by evil spirits are both mentally sick and demonically
bothered.
Yes, while it’s true that
the predicament can be an either-or proposition, we should not
dismiss the possibility that it can also be a both-and one. Not just
disjunctive, but also conjunctive. Let’s remember that the devil is
always around. It’s not paranoia to be always alerted of the devil’s
existence and his constant efforts to destroy us, usually in very
sweet ways.
It would be good if we
level up in our knowledge of psychology. This field of science is
getting to be more and more relevant these days. It cannot anymore
be the exclusive interest of some people. Everyone should know at
least the basics of psychology and from there start accumulating
relevant helpful information.
But we should never forget
that the psychological and mental mechanism of a person is steeped
in his spiritual dimension that can lead him either to the
supernatural or infranatural world. It cannot be studied from the
point of view of empirical science alone. It has to input the truths
of faith to enable it to cope with the full range of its
possibilities.
This is a point that
should be taken more seriously these days. The complicated
challenges of our times that have brought about many good things and
also many bad things cannot but make this kind of demand. We have to
take our faith more seriously, assimilating it in our system and
making it the guide and shaper of our lives.
With our faith, we have
the answer to all the questions, the solution to all our problems,
even if the answers and solutions it offers may not be the ones we
want. But they are the answers and solutions that God himself gives,
and not just us.
Faith is the great healer,
the constant pacifier, because it brings Christ into our lives,
Christ who heals and who constantly tells us, “Do not be afraid...”
We should bring our faith to bear on our sciences and on our other
sources of knowledge.