How quickly can the presence of Evil reach the human capacity of submission?

It depends upon what we use to identify an evil opinion, an evil intention, or an armed barrage of terrorizing innocent persons with ghoulish principles.

Providence and the Scandal of Evil: If God the Father Almighty, the Creator of the ordered and good world, cares for his creatures, why does evil exist? To this question, as pressing as it is, unavoidable and as painful as it is mysterious, no quick answer will suffice. Only Christian faith as a whole constitutes the answer to this question: the goodness of creation, the drama of sin, and the patient love of God who comes to meet man by his covenants, the redemptive Incarnation of his Son, his gift of the Spirit, his gathering of the Church, the power of the sacraments, and his call to a blessed life to which free creatures are invited to consent in advance, but from which, by a terrible mystery, they can also turn away in advance. There is not a single aspect of the Christian message that is not in part an answer to the question of evil. (CCC 309).

We see evil and it’s hold on too many people that has as a prime attack upon them and is prone to bring their belief in God to an end. There are many visible signs that emanate from a mind that has acquired a presence of evil activities which would be a symbol of demons and spirits whose intent is to corrupt the holiest saints to crawl at the feet of demonic possession. Jesus confronted many such situations and dealt with them as only he could do.

“Then they came to Capernaum, and on the Sabbath he entered the Synagogue and taught. In the synagogue was a man with an unclean spirit; he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are - the Holy One of God!” Jesus rebuked him and said, “Quiet! Come out of him!” (Mk 1: 21 - 25).

However, we find many other examples of how evil occurs without a hidden evil spirit or a demon possessing an innocent person. Today, my daughter told us about a truck in traffic with a large spray on message on the windshield in large letters that read, “Satan” and one or more upside down crucifixes representing an obvious put-down to Holy Week. (Today is Tuesday of Holy Week). Just a way of denouncing the Christian belief of the Passion of Christ. But, this is not the only way constituents of evil compromising in our society make their way known and felt. The Pro-abortionists are doing everything in their power to promote Roe vs Wade and seek reinstatement in the courts again. Just a reminder that more babies have been aborted than the casualties of all the wars combined. This is one of the evils that has reached the patience of God. It parallels the ancient ritual of sacrificing the children to false gods. The god of the 21st century is our quest for power and sex and is not going away any time soon.

“Man , enticed by the Evil One, abused his freedom at the very beginning of history.” He succumbed to temptation and did what was evil. He still desires the good, but his nature bears the wound of original sin. He is now inclined to evil and subject to error: (CCC 1707).

Man is divided in himself. As a result, the whole life of men, both individual and social, shows itself to be a struggle, and a dramatic one, between good and evil, between light and darkness. (footnote to CCC 1707).

Evil has always been around as long as human history has been. But today, in our present society, evil appropriations and the evil intent from more people is becoming a continuous scourge upon society and the ones who are getting hurt are those that do not see what is a dagger of hatred towards holiness that God is calling all of us to be. “So be perfect just as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Mt 5: 48).

Ralph B. Hathaway