Pope Francis, seemingly content to ignore the negative opinions of the increasing numbers of critics within and outside the Church, was quoted in newspapers around the world with a statement about why peace in the middle east has failed, over and over again.
Explaining his rationale for the unprecedented invitation to the leaders of Israel and Palestine to join him at the Vatican to pray for peace in the middle east, the Pope, reminded both leaders of the “great sign of brotherhood which you offer as children of Abraham,” and blamed the failure of talks to date on the devil, claiming, “More than once we have been on the verge of peace, but the evil one, employing a variety of means, has succeeded in blocking it.”
We don’t hear language like this very often; even on Sundays in our churches, we seldom hear about Satan, the anti-Word, Lucifer, Prince of Darkness, the Great Liar or any of the numerous names given to the devil. And yet, this diminutive man in white’s declaration of the power, presence and profound hostility toward humanity was widely quoted on the front pages of the Los Angeles Times, New York Times, the London Times and numerous other newspapers.
Interesting.
Shortly after I converted to Catholic Christianity, I read somewhere that beginning with the ‘enlightenment’, Satan had achieved his greatest victory in his battle against man: he had succeeded in convincing mankind that he did not exist.
There was a time that I was there too-not all that long ago, really; religion, the devil, the Bible, all of it was fantasy.
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