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The devil wills evil, says St. Augustine, but God’s will is always done even through the wickedness of the devil. Nevertheless, Satan will be rightfully pun- ished, because his will was, and is, to hurt us.
Even the power of those who are hurtful is from God alone. For it is not unrighteous that, when the wicked receive the power of being hurtful, both the patience of the good should be tested and the iniquity of the evil punished. Through power given to the devil Job was tested so that he might appear righ- teous, and Peter was tempted so that he should not be presumptuous, and Paul was buffeted so that he should not be exalted, and Judas was damned so that he should hang himself.
So when, through the power he has given the devil, God himself has done all things righteously, nevertheless punishment will at last be rendered to the devil— not because these things were justly done, but for his unrighteous willing to be hurtful, which was his own will. Then it will be said to the impious who persevered in consenting to his wickedness, “Depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matt. 25:41). –St. Augustine, On the Nature of Good, Against the Manicheans, 32
IN GOD’S PRESENCE, CONSIDER . . .
In what ways am I consenting to the devil’s wickedness every day?
CLOSING PRAYER
Sovereign almighty, from whom all power comes, cleanse my mind and my thoughts from all influence of the devil.
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