The Good Angels, on the other hand, are literally “on guard” to help us fight against the “prince of this world”.
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Newsroom (02/10/2024 17:44, Gaudium Press) The Book of Job notes a reality that we live in every day: “Militia est vita hominis super terram – Man’s life on this earth is a struggle” (7:1).
This daily struggle is a reflection of the prœlium magnum in heaven, between St. Michael’s army and the insurgent angels. Under the Lord’s banner, the Holy Archangel proclaimed God’s magnificence: “Quis ut Deus? – Who like God?”; under the banner of darkness, Lucifer exhaled revolt and insubmission: ”Non serviam! – I will not serve!”
This antagonism, however, did not end with the precipitation of the evil angels into the infernal abysses; it was transposed to earthly life, as a continuation and consummation. The Apostle says “We do not have to fight against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, against the rulers of this dark world and the evil spirits in the air” (Eph 6:12).
For St. Thomas Aquinas (cf. Summa Theologica. I, q.114, a.1), such a struggle has its origin in the evil of the devil who “sins from the beginning” (I Jn 3:8); however, the ordering towards the ultimate end comes from God, who knows how to allow evil to order it towards good. From a merely human point of view, the meaning of these divine arcana remains a mystery.
In this sense, Christ’s mission on earth was a great reconquest. At every moment, Jesus was fighting against diabolical actions, in the form of temptations, vexations, or possessions. This crusade against the devil was the very essence of his mission: “God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and he went about doing good and healing all who were overcome by the devil because God was with him” (Acts 10:38).
However, although the Redemption was a great setback for the spirits of darkness, they persisted in their task of tempting the children of light. The Good Angels, on the other hand, are literally “on guard” to help us fight against the “prince of this world” (Jn 16:11).
The devil’s weapons are well known, as are his allies: the world and the flesh. Moreover, his tactical resources have already been scrutinized and worn out by time, such as surprise and concealment – in fact, he often disguises himself as an “angel of light” (II Cor 11:14). These tricks are available to any army; however, only the children of light can make use of what no human power can offer, namely grace.
This is the secret to victory: union with the One who is “full of grace” (Lk 1:28). Now, if the core of the demons’ revolt is summed up in the revolutionary attitude of “non serviam”, the counter-revolution for good can only be distinguished by detached service, by “serviam”, in imitation of Mary Most Holy, “the handmaid of the Lord” (Lk 1:38).
In this way, there is no more exorcist act than consecrating oneself as a slave to the Incarnate Wisdom through the hands of the Queen of Angels, because she, through her offspring, will crush the Serpent’s head once and for all (cf. Gen 3:15). Then these “apostles of the last times”, united with the Angels and Saints, will proclaim with one voice: “Who like Mary?
Text taken from Heralds of the Gospel Magazine no. 249, September 2022. Editorial.
Compiled by Dominic Joseph
