Shame Month 3

 

A demonic perspective

 

In the last few years of her life, St. Catherine of Siena, who lived in fourteenth century Italy, carried on a long “Dialogue” with God, which she dictated to scribes and which has been preserved and can be read to this day in print and digitally.

In Chapter 14 of this Dialogue God makes clear to her something about the nature of demons. Demons are fallen angels, chief among them Lucifer, who rebelled against God and was thrown from Heaven in consequence (see Revelation Chapter 12). As such, they are and remain pure spirits without the bodily, material existence of human beings, animals, and all the world of ‘things’ in which we spend much of our lives.  This gives them (the demons) a perspective on certain ‘sins of the flesh’ which may be surprising.

Speaking of ‘that cursed unnatural sin’, God in St. Catherine’s Dialogue says:

But the stench displeases not only Me, as I have said, but the devils as well, those very devils these wretches have made their masters. It is not its sinfulness that displeases them, for they like nothing that is good. But because their nature was angelic, that nature still loathes the sight of that horrendous sin actually being committed. It is true that it was they who in the beginning shot the poisoned arrows of concupiscence, (sexual desire) but when it comes to the sinful act itself they run away.    

The ‘unnatural sin’ is not named, but it is further specified in the Dialogue that God told St. Catherine:

‘It is so hateful to Me that for this sin alone five cities were struck down by My divine

judgment.

1) Sodom

2) Gomorrah

3) Admah

4) Zeboiim

5) Zoar

For My divine justice could no longer tolerate it, so despicable to Me is this abominable sin. But the stench displeases not only Me, as I have said, but the devils as well, those very devils these wretches have made their masters. It is not its sinfulness that displeases them, for they like nothing that is good. But because their nature was angelic, that nature still loathes the sight of that horrendous sin actually being committed. It is true that it was they who in the beginning shot the poisoned arrows of concupiscence, (sexual desire) but when it comes to the sinful act itself they run away.

Thus, in St. Catherine’s view, the demons may be pleased that “Gay Pride Month” is being celebrated; but they will be turning their backs on the actual sins which it celebrates.

By Prayer Crusader, St Theresa of Avila