Fr. Michael Williams

When I was on my ward rounds in the hospital a few weeks ago I encountered a lapsed Catholic. Nothing new there! But this particular chap -and he was friendly enough- proceeded to tell me why he was lapsed. Apparently it was because evolution had proven the Bible to be false! In particular he was alluding to the creation account in the Book of Genesis.

The Book of Genesis, some of which we have heard today in the first reading, was never intended to be a science manual; it is simply a beautiful and poetic account of God’s creation written four thousand years ago in a primitive literary form. But despite it’s primitive format the Book of Genesis contains deep theological truths- namely that God has created everything out of nothing in an ordered way, that He has created man and woman in his own image and likeness, and that He has not abandoned humanity to the dark forces of evil, which seek to destroy humanity.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church says of the passage we have just heard: ‘The account of the fall in Genesis 3 uses figurative language, but affirms a primeval event, a deed that took place at the beginning of the history of man. Revelation gives us the certainty of faith that the whole of human history is marked by the original fault freely committed by our first parents’ (CCC 390).

Within this account of Genesis we encounter, ‘the serpent, the most subtle of all the wild beasts’. Here we are introduced to the reality of a fallen evil principle operating within the God’s creation, that seeks to beguile and lead astray humanity with its whispering voice: ‘Did God really say you were not to do that’? As we know humanity has been led astray, and thus the fall of the human race takes place, where sin and death begin to take hold in human history. We can see the consequences of this fall from grace all around us.

Too often today people see the devil as a comic figure with horns and a pitchfork! You know something like that which Man Utd people wear on their chest! But in all seriousness the fallen angel, Satan, is still ‘prowling around’, trying to whisper his way into people’s lives.

Our Lord encounters Satan in the desert, and is tempted by him, but Jesus, the Son of God, sends him on his way. Jesus’ obedience to God the Father reverses the disobedience of the first man and woman. Throughout the struggle of temptation Jesus constantly turns to God the Father for help and inspiration, and that is what we must do in our struggles with the evils which can threaten us.

Ultimately, we have nothing to fear if we remain close to the Lord Jesus who ultimately overcomes Satan by his death and resurrection. We have been incorporated into the life of Jesus by our baptism and so we have confidence in the power of the Lord. Christ’s Victory flows through His Body, the Church. That is why we should use the spiritual weapons the Lord has given us in our struggle against evil.

First and foremost, the Sacraments- Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Communion, Confession, Anointing of the Sick, Marriage and the Priesthood. These Seven Sacraments are our artillery! We also have prayer, holy water, the crucifix, blessed medals. We need to use what Christ has given us to help us.

This was brought home to me when I was asked to go and bless someone’s house where frightening things were going on after the teenage son had done the Ouija Board. The family hated living in that house so much they had put it up for sale. The Priest was their last option. I went to the house and knew something was seriously wrong. I said the prayers and blessed the house with holy water and then left sharpish! A few weeks later I saw the lady whose house it was an she said, ‘Oh thanks Father, for blessing the house, everything has stopped and we’ve taken it off the market, we’re now staying’.

It made me realise the power of Christ’s Blessings operating through the Church. It wasn’t me who got rid of that presence, it was Christ, and He has given that power to His Church, which we are all members of by virtue of our baptism. So we shouldn’t be fearful, we should just stay close to Christ, and accept the graces He offers us through His Body, the Church.