10 WAYS SATAN PREVENTS US FROM RECONCILING WITH GOD

10 WAYS SATAN PREVENTS US FROM RECONCILING WITH GOD

Fr. David Olusi

1. SINS TOO GREAT!

The devil can convince us that our sins are too many and too great! How astute the devil, but how wrong! Jesus did not come for the perfect or the saints who have no sins. On the contrary, Jesus came to save the sinners. The primary purpose and mission of Jesus’ coming was SAVIOR—he came to save us of our sins. The forgiveness of sins is expressed most especially by Sacramental Confession!

2. TOMORROW

The devil of tomorrow is never too far away. How often do we put off for tomorrow, especially in our spiritual lives, what we should do today! In Spanish there is the phrase that says it all: “La Filosofia de la manana!” No hurry; I will do it tomorrow! Read the classic work by C.S. Lewis Screwtape Letters and you will learn the tactics of the devil, especially in convincing us in the art of procrastination!

3. I GET NERVOUS: MY MIND GOES BLANK

This might be the case, but to remedy this why not prepare yourself the night before the day you confess and write out your sins on a sheet of paper as a guide and as a memory—helper! Mission accomplished and devil defeated, for those of short-term memory!

4. THE PRIEST KNOWS ME

Easy to conquer this devil! You can simply go behind the confessional screen and make an anonymous confession. However, even if it were face to face, the priest will admire you more and more for your great humility. Moreover, priests who confess often have most likely heard these sins many times over and will not be shocked and have a heart-attack! Also, priests are afflicted with weakness and have to confess their sins to other priests. (Hebrews 5:2)

5. THE PRIEST MIGHT TELL MY SINS

Never! The priest is obliged; otherwise he could run the risk of excommunication, of what is called the Seal of Confession—meaning, he can never reveal what he has heard in the confessional. There have even been priests who have died to protect the seal of the confessional, as was in the case of Saint John Nepomucene who would not reveal the sins of the Queen even though the King threatened the priest with death. Indeed Saint John died the martyr’s death, maintaining the seal of the confessional!

6. I WILL GO BACK AND REPEAT THE SAME SINS

Another common temptation that comes from the devil is to convince you that you will never change, that you will go back and commit the same sin over and over and really that you are a true “basket-case” a hopeless renegade! Wrong! Classic moral theology teaches us what is called “The Principle of Graduality”. In lay-terms this means that it is true that we might go back and commit the same sin. However, through the grace of the Sacrament of Confession, we will commit less frequent sins and less grave sins! In other words, gradually, with the help of God’s grace the sin can be conquered.

7. THE PRIEST IS TOO BUSY AND I WILL WASTE HIS TIME

Another trick of the devil, the crafty and wily serpent! On the contrary, one of the primary functions of the priest is the ministry of Reconciliation. Saint Paul teaches: “Be reconciled with God. Now is the day of salvation. Put off the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.” (Romans 13: 13) These were the words that led to the conversion of Saint Augustine as he read these words in the Garden! A priest is ordained to preach the Word of God, celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and to hear confessions and reconcile souls to God. By hearing confessions the priest becomes a better and more holy priest! Go to confession and you will help the priest in his own personal sanctification!

8. I DO NOT KNOW HOW TO CONFESS, OR THE ACT OF CONTRITION

Lame excuse, the devil behind it! How easy the devil can fill us with useless fears to prevent us from receiving a torrential downpour of graces! Tell the priest your situation and he can help you start and finish! The most important part is confessing your sins, being truly sorry for them, proposing to avoid the near occasion of sin and trusting in the Infinite mercy of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. May the prayer that resounds from our hearts always be JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!

9. I AM TOO EMBARRASSED

It is interesting how the devil works, his crafty and astute and perverted psychology, but very successful! When the devil tempts us to sin, he takes away our fears and embarrassment. However, once we sin the devil can fill us with so much fear that he actually paralyzes us so that we never make it to the Confessional and therefore become slaves of our sins! Saint Philip Neri was able to actually see the “devil of embarrassment” that prevented souls from receiving the abundant graces of the Sacrament of Confession.

10. I CAN CONFESS DIRECTLY TO GOD, WHY THE PRIEST?

This too is a typical and frequent tactic of the enemy, the tempter, the liar and murderer from the beginning, the devil! However, we know as Catholics that Jesus chose priests as the representatives of Christ, the channels of grace and instruments of reconciliation. This Jesus actually did, instituting the Sacrament of Confession, that first Easter Sunday night. The Apostles were in the Upper Room, paralyzed by fear and Jesus came through the wall and said: “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you. And when He said this, He breathed on them and said to them: Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” (John 20:21-23) Therefore, to be forgiven mortal sins, Jesus instituted the Church and the Sacrament of His forgiveness a mercy to forgive sins and reconcile us to His loving and merciful Heart!

In conclusion, all of us have our fears, our doubts. All of us have many GHOSTS that appear in our lives to paralyze us from approaching the merciful and love Jesus. The worst of all sins is that or LACK OF TRUST in the Infinite MERCY of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Why not overcome the devil of FEAR right now and make the best confession in your life. Jesus invites you right now to trust and not to fear: “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly of heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy,..." (Matthew 11:28-29).