Exorcism Explained

Overcoming the Evil One with God’s grace

02/24/2020

Mark 9:14-29 Immediately on seeing Jesus, the whole crowd was utterly amazed. They ran up to him and greeted him. He asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?” Someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I have brought to you my son possessed by a mute spirit. Then he questioned his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” He replied, “Since childhood. It has often thrown him into fire and into water to kill him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” Jesus said to him, “‘If you can!’ Everything is possible to one who has faith.” Then the boy’s father cried out, “I do believe, help my unbelief!” Jesus, on seeing a crowd rapidly gathering, rebuked the unclean spirit and said to it, “Mute and deaf spirit, I command you: come out of him and never enter him again!” Shouting and throwing the boy into convulsions, it came out. When he entered the house, his disciples asked him in private, “Why could we not drive the spirit out?” He said to them, “This kind can only come out through prayer.”

There’s a meme floating around these days that is both funny and frightening. It reads: “Everyone makes fun of the Catholic Church until they have a demon in their house.” Whenever there is supernatural or paranormal activity in your basement or attic, you don’t call the fire department, you call Fr. John. In 2018 the Vatican actually called for more training of exorcists to meet a growing demand to help with alleged demonic possessions. Fr. Benigno Palilla, a Sicilian priest and exorcist, said there are half a million cases of possessions reported annually in Italy alone. Even if only a small fraction of those cases were legitimate, the numbers are alarming.

When people come to me about possible demonic issues, my answer is to use the spiritual nuclear weapons of the sacraments: baptism, confession and Communion. The devil doesn’t stand a chance against divine grace. Most people, however, are disappointed by that advice and want to hear me say things like they need to wash their clothes in holy water, burn incense in all the corners of their house, and eat only sushi for 10 days. This was the advice for exorcists that Jesus gives in Mark 9 today, when the disciples ask they could not expel a demon. Our Lord replied: “This kind can only come out through prayer.” In other words, a life of assiduous prayer is the prescription for paranormal activity, but most people are not interested in something so simply or sane.

If you are truly curious about how the devil works, I urge you to read C. S. Lewis’ classic book called “The Screwtape Letters.” Lewis was not a priest or an exorcist, but I believe he gives the best advice about how to defeat the devil, besides prayer, of course. The book is a collection of letters in hell from a senior devil (Screwtape) to a junior devil (Wormwood) on how to lead human beings to hell. That is the devil’s real end-game. Satan is not interested in starring in Hollywood movies. In his “Preface” Lewis gives his readers this warning: “There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them.” Lewis continues: “They themselves (the devils, that is) are equally pleased by both errors and hail a materialist (those who don’t believe in devils) or a magician (those who do believe in devils) with the same delight.” The remainder of Lewis’ book of letters between devils will serve you better than a room full of exorcists if you really want to repel or resist the Evil One.

If you prefer a more scriptural antidote to Satanism, I suggest you read Exodus 32, and the tragic episode of the worshipping the Golden Calf. There at the foot of Mt. Sinai as the people grow impatient waiting for Moses to return with the Ten Commandments, the devil’s strategy is on full display. Aaron the high priest is persuaded to build a Golden Calf so the people could worship it. Why a Golden Calf? That symbolized one of the highest gods of Egypt, Apis, the bull god, known for three things. In exchange for worshipping him, he would give you wealth, women and weapons, that is, money, sex and power. A golden bull embodies all three values.

Indeed, the Israelites’ fall from grace in that moment was so tragic it has been called “a second fall,” similar to “the first fall” of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. God’s original plans for the people after leading them out of slavery in Egypt changed drastically after Exodus 32, much like God’s original plan for Adam and Eve changed after Genesis 3, and eating the forbidden fruit. From the beginning of human history down to our own day, the devil has been tempting us with those 3 sins: money, sex and power. In that sense, maybe that Sicilian priest’s estimate of possessions was not wide of the mark.

When it comes to how the devil enters and takes possessin of our lives, Ecclesiastes 1:9 was spot on, saying: “What has been, that will be, what has been done, that will be done. There is nothing new under the sun!” And now would everyone stop making fun of the Catholic Church!

Praised be Jesus Christ!