Christmas Journey: Fallen Angels

“I watched Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightning." Luke 10:18

God created all angels in a state of goodness. All angels were created with the power to love but love requires freedom. "We are not free to love unless we are free to refuse love" (3-Lesson 9).

Just like humans, the angels underwent a test of some sort, in which they chose to act for God or against Him. The Bible does not mention the nature of their trial, but in Genesis we read of God separating the light from the darkness, even before He created physical light (Gen 1:4). This is recounting the rebellion of Satan and the demons (Rev 12:4) who chose everlasting darkness for themselves. In the Book of Revelation, St. John speaks of the heavenly spirits as stars: "the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches" (Rev 1:20). In his telling of the great heavenly battle, he says that "a third of the stars of heaven" were expelled when they chose against God (Rev 12:4). Their light became darkness and they were cast out, very similar to Adam and Eve being cast out from the Garden of Eden.

We do not know the reason why some angels chose not to love God but many saints believe that the main reason was pride. They refused to serve another. The consequence of their decision was hell, the state of separation from God. Whatever their first sin was, it led them to many others. These evil angels envied the status of human beings, for whom God had created the physical world as a habitation. Determined to bring these creatures down, the prince of the fallen angels took the form of a serpent. He tempted the first couple and led them to sin against God.

Since that day, humanity has been beset by evil spiritual forces and defended by good spiritual forces. Our troubles and our struggles in this world are not simply anxieties over material discomforts. They are also—and primarily—spiritual struggles, spiritual combat and spiritual warfare. This spiritual war will rage on until the final consummation of history because the fallen angels wish for us to fall along with them. It is against their influence that we must struggle every day for the rest of our lives.

The fallen angels, like all angels, were created by God with prodigious powers and strength. Now they turn all those powers against us. Every single day they plot our demise. And we have to struggle mightily to overcome such opposition. According to St. Paul: "We are not contending against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places" (Eph 6:12).

"The angelic will is powerful. Once it is turned away from God it is mighty and destructive force. The angelic intellect is vast. When it is turned away from truth, it perpetrates the most gigantic of lies, but always with a resemblance to truth" (3-Lesson 2). The fallen angel sets his course for the way of death and he will not take a detour. Jesus identifies the prince of the fallen angels as "the devil" (John 8:44) and as "Satan" (Mark 3:23). "He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth" (John 8:44). Opposed to life and truth, the devil is at war with God and will take down as many humans as he can.

We can see the power of the evil one causing chaos in our world today. All these fanatics that claim to be acting in the name of God are truly acting in the name of Satan. He has taken a hold of them and through them is causing destruction, chaos and fear in the hearts of many. Our God is a God of love, not a God of hatred. He would never cause death and destruction. It is Satan, who is a murderer, that is rejoicing in the destruction and fall of all humanity.

Even though that sounds quite scary, we do not need to be afraid. "If God is for us, who is against us?" (Rom 8:31). God created the angels. Yes, they are powerful. But they have no power over God. "He disarmed the principalities and powers and made a public example of them, triumphing over them in Christ" (Col 2:15). "Our best defense against the devil is a good offense. When we live our life entirely for Christ, we are most powerful against the enemy" (3-Lesson 9).

"The power of Satan is not infinite. He is only a creature, powerful from the fact that he is pure spirit, but still a creature. He cannot prevent the building up of God's reign. Although Satan may act in the world out of hatred for God and his kingdom in Christ Jesus, and although his action may cause grave injuries - of a spiritual nature and, indirectly, even of a physical nature- to each man and to society, the action is permitted by divine providence which with strength and gentleness guides human and cosmic history. It is a great mystery that providence should permit diabolical activity, but 'we know that in everything God works for good with those who love him'" (CCC 395).

Unfortunately, the closer we are to Christ, the more fiercely the evil will attack us. Temptations will be a huge part of his attack. But we need to think more about what we are fighting for rather than what we are fighting against. We need to keep Christ at the center. And through His Church, Christ has left us an arsenal of powerful weaponry against the evil one. "The saints testify that the devil is terrified by the cross, repelled by the sacraments, turned away by holy water" (3-Lesson 9). He cannot withstand anything that carries the blessing of Jesus Christ.

We cannot allow the evil one to take hold of our hearts through fear, lies and destruction. We need to continue fighting in joyful hope as we hold on to the cross. God has already won the battle. We need to trust that He has a purpose for all that is happening around us and that we will reign with Him one day in heaven while the devil will burn in hell forever.

Sources: 
1-The Catholic Edition of the Revised Standard Version of the Bible
2-Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC)
3-"Entertaining Angels" by Mike Aquilina (Catholic Scripture Study International 2013)
4-"Angels and Saints" by Scott Hahn 2014