Some outsiders are on our side; Angels: Day 347

There are evil people inside the Church, says St. Augustine, because the devil planted weeds among the wheat, as Christ says in his parable. But if the devil has his followers inside the Church, we must remember that Christ has followers outside the Church.

But yet “through the devil’s envy death entered the world, and those who belong to his party experience it” (Wis. 2:24)—not because they are created by God, but because they go astray of themselves, as Cyprian says himself

But seeing that the devil, before he was a devil, was an angel, and good, how can it be that they who are of the devil’s side are in the unity of Christ? Beyond all doubt, as the Lord himself says, “an enemy has done this” (Matt. 13:28), who “sowed weeds among the wheat” (Matt. 13:25).

What belongs to the devil within the fold must be convicted. But in the same way what belongs to Christ outside it must be recognized. Can the devil have what is his within the unity of the Church, and yet Christ not have what is his outside? –St. Augustine, On Baptism, Against the Donatists, 4.9

IN GOD’S PRESENCE, CONSIDER . . .

We know that the devil has followers inside the Church. But what keeps the outsiders outside the Church? Is there anything I’m personally doing that tends to push Christ’s followers away?

CLOSING PRAYER

I pray to the guardian angels of all people of good will who are outside the Church: be constantly diligent and seize every opportunity to bring them back to a happy reunion.

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