I have been doing a lot of thinking in recent months about the reality of evil, and the Evil One. Why? Because I am seeing more and more frequently a growing number of people who are either experimenting with or fully involved in Wiccan or in paganistic practices.
In my preaching at the pulpit, the emphasis is almost always on God’s infinite love for every human person. Each human person is loved by God, and God desires the love of that person. God always wants a love relationship to exist between Him and us, a relationship grounded in firm faith and reaching outwardly in hope. This relationship of faith, hope and love with the God who created us is truly Good News that cannot be overstated, I believe. We are in fact adopted sons and daughters of God. One cannot help but preach this wonderful Gospel.
Yet, there is also the reality of evil, and a person of evil whom we call Satan. He is truly defeated by Christ, yet he has power. As St. Peter reminds us, he prowls like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
My friends, we simply cannot play around with Satan. He is far too clever, far too intelligent for us to think we can out-fox him and defeat him. God alone can do that. Those who involve themselves, even minimally with evil, with the occult, with witchcraft, with Wiccan or other paganistic practices, they are playing around with the Evil One. These practices are not harmless interests, or attractive alternatives to mainstream Christianity. They are dangerous; they are not acceptable; they will bring havoc into your life.
I ask anyone who reads this post and who is involved with evil in these ways to examine their lives and ask whether their lives are better, happier, more balanced and peaceful. In my experience, either pastorally or professionally in the clinic, I have never met anyone who has engaged in the occult or paganism whose life was without serious problems. They are, rather, always distressed and unsettled.
As St. Augustine wrote, your heart will be restless until it rests in God.
May God bless you and keep you always!
