The first of all the angels, Tatian tells us, was worshiped as a god by human beings. For his pride, Satan was cut off from all fellowship with the Word, and he and his angelic followers became the demons. The power of the Word had the ability in itself to foresee future events— not that those events were fated, but rather they came about through the choice of beings who acted freely. From time to time the Word foretold what... Read more
St. Asterius of Amasea gives us a good working definition of covetousness, and explains that this sin—wanting more than you deserve—was what made the devil fall from Heaven. Covetousness, then, is not simply being mad for money and other posses- sions, wishing to add to what you have that to which you have no right. To speak more broadly, it is the desire to have, in every transaction, more than what’s due or belongs to you. And you know that the... Read more
Demons often predict the future, says St. Augustine, because they’re intelligent, and they can see things we can’t. But they often get it wrong. Angels always know the truth even about worldly things, because they love God and make his will their own. The good angels, therefore, put little value on the knowledge of mate- rial and transitory things that the demons are so proud of possessing. It’s not that they’re ignorant of these things. But the love of God, by... Read more
God makes creation to operate by certain principles, says St. Augustine. If evil angels can make use of those principles to help magicians do apparent miracles, that doesn’t mean that anyone but God was the Creator. The Apostle Paul distinguishes God’s creating and forming on the inside from the acts of the creature that are applied from without. Drawing a metaphor from agriculture, he says, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth” (1 Cor. 3:6). In the spiritual life,... Read more
Human beings and angels are good creations, says St. Augustine. Even the evil angels are good creations; they are evil only in relation to the good things that they were. It is not possible for there to be evil without good. But the logical rule doesn’t apply in these two opposites that we call “good” and “evil.” The weather can’t be both dark and light at the same time. Food or drink can’t be sweet and sour at the same time.... Read more
This week we have an awesome TWO title giveaway! One lucky winner will receive a copy of Letters to My Lord by Daniel A. Lord, sponsored by Ave Maria Press (you can read Michele’s review here) and one copy of m y first book Mother Teresa: Carrier of God’s Mercy (you can read the story behind my book here). I use Rafflecopter to run my giveaways which makes it simple for you and me! Enter below. a Rafflecopter giveaway Read more
The demons, says Dionysius the Areopagite, are not made evil. What we call “evil” is a negative quality: it is a failure to preserve themselves in the good. But how are the demons evil if they are created by God? For the Good brings forth and sustains good things—but, someone might say, we call the de- mons evil. But we call them “evil” not because of what they are, for they come from the Good, and were created with a good... Read more
My new book! You read that right. After nearly four years here at The Catholic Book Blogger promoting books every week, I now have one of my own. Before we talk about the book I thought you may be interested in how it developed. A few months ago, I met an inspiring husband and wife from Europe named Nace and Silva Volcic. They had a good life. No financial worries. Plenty of food. A nice home. Reliable transportation. They also... Read more
If Satan was one of God’s creatures, then isn’t God to blame for evil? Against the heretic Marcion, who believed that the God of the Old Testament was evil, Tertullian argues that the devil’s sin is not God’s doing. Like us, Satan was created with free will, and—like us—he alone is to blame for his own sins. Where did the devil’s malice, his lying and deceiving mankind and slandering God, come from? Certainly not from God. He made the angel... Read more
Review by Michele Craig During his last days on earth, as he was lying in a hospital bed dying from cancer, Daniel A. Lord, SJ decided to write a few letters…to our Lord. Editor Thomas Gavin, SJ explains. “While doing research for a biography of Father Lord, I came across an intimate, personal document that he wrote in a St. Louis hospital during his last retreat. On the second day of his retreat he was told that he had terminal... Read more
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