Do you reject Satan, the author and prince of sin?

Do you reject Satan, the author and prince of sin? March 12, 2012

Following our meditations on the baptismal promises we will renew on Easter, today we reach the third question:  Do you reject Satan, the author and prince of sin?

In this promise we reject Satan by name.  Satan, a living being who is the author and prince of all sin.  Knowing that the primary effect of sin is death, something so terrible and undesirable, I can’t begin to imagine how terrible its author, its source, must be.

This living being we call Satan has willingly chosen to disobey God and his only desire is to make other beings turn away from God.  If Satan had a motto, it would be “misery loves company.” He is miserable after turning away from God and wants all other beings to do the same.  His name literally means “accuser” since he accuses us of our sins so we may despair over them, rather than to turn to God’s infinite mercy.

Who is Satan and where does he get his power?

The book of Revelation speaks of Satan as the ancient serpent, the one who deceived the whole world, the one who was cast out of heaven with his angels by the mighty archangel Michael.

He is a highly intelligent being, knowledgeable and even capable of quoting Sacred Scripture to teach erroneous doctrine (we see this in the temptation of Jesus in the desert).

He is the prince of a realm of darkness which entraps and deceives people here on earth. He schemes on ways to extinguish the light of Jesus Christ in the hearts of men.  He schemed as a serpent in Eden, he continues to scheme now.

Some mistakenly believe God and Satan are enemies with equal power holding a dualistic understanding where there are two equal power sources, one good and one evil.  This is incorrect.  God and Satan are not on opposite ends of the spectrum of good and evil.

Satan is one of God’s creatures who has rebelled.  God still reigns supreme.  Satan may win many battles, but God has already won the war.  Satan cannot win because God’s power and might are infinitely greater.

The light of Christ cannot be extinguished, and we must not allow the devil to deceive us to believe otherwise.  When we look at the world today: wars, famine, pain and suffering, persecuted Christians, we can even throw the HHS mandate here, we must not lose hope: the devil many win many battles, but God has already won the war.

Satan’s greatest victory in the modern world is making human beings believe he does not even exist.  Many, including faithful Catholics, perhaps some of you here now, think the devil does not exist.  Even more believe that hell, eternal punishment, is not an actual possibility for the after-life.

Seven times in the New Testament Jesus speaks of punishment in the darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth for those who do evil.  Jesus confirms the existence of Satan numerous times, even telling us he watched Satan fall from heaven like lightning.

When your enemy makes you believe he does not exist, your enemy can do whatever he wants with you.  You become even more vulnerable to his attacks because you do not recognize them as his doings.

Whatever Satan achieves he does so by seducing us to choose lesser goods, thus decreasing the goodness God can achieve in our lives.

Satan operates not by scaring us by showing us his horrific face, but by slowly seducing us to choose the “lesser good” – to compromise and to settle for less.  It’s a slippery slope until we find ourselves choosing the wrong, and each time creeping further into the darkness.

Know the enemy your reject today: Do not let him accuse you and allow you to lose your trust in God’s infinite mercy.  Do not let him seduce you into choosing a lesser good when making decisions in your life.  Do not let him extinguish the light of Christ present in your heart since the day of your baptism.

The author and prince of sin is alive and well.  But God is greater, and we choose to march behind God’s banner.   By marching under the banner of Jesus Christ we reject Satan and his deceitful ways.  May God help us in the battle, and may Saint Michael the Archangel always defend us.

Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle, be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil.  May God rebuke him, we humbly pray.  And do thou, Prince of the Heavenly Host, by the power of God, cast into hell Satan and all evil spirits who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls.  Amen.


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