Gen. 2:7-9; 3:1-7; Ps. 51:3-6, 12-13, 17, 4-5, 17; Rom. 5:12-19; Mt.4:1-11

“Get away, Satan!”  Jesus was tempted by the devil but for each temptation he had the power of the Word to rebuke Satan.  Adam and Eve were tempted by the devil but they lacked the power of the Word called only to obedience and they failed.  The journey of faith is one that begins with a call to obedience, but we are given also the power of the Word to have not only an informed conscience but the truth from God himself.  It is not my truth but God’s truth.  The Word is wisdom and life, bread for the journey and power to rebuke Satan.

We live by the Word and the Word will set us free.  Satan comes to test us, as he did Adam and Eve, as he did Job and every other figure in salvation history.  He is the fallen angel who prowls about the world seeking the ruin of souls.  He has no power except to deceive and play the role of spoiler and betrayer.  His mode of action is to influence others to act as instruments of his cunning strategy.  We see it when Jesus tells Peter “Get away from me, Satan!”  Peter thought he was acting for the good of Jesus.  We see it in Judas betrayal as Judas is tempted not only by money but by his own pride.  Satan is the classic puppeteer, pulling on the strings of our hearts and minds to direct our actions to sin.  “Get away, Satan” you chose your hell, I choose God. 

We often hear of the decline in the priesthood but we never hear of the decline in priests who are willing to serve as exorcists.  We also don’t hear of the increase in calls seeking help in fear of being under the possession of the evil one.  The whole subject is treated as a historical topic we read about in the Bible with some even treating it as a mythology, a misunderstood way of explaining what was a natural human condition of disease in a person who Jesus healed.  If we read carefully however, Jesus often called out Satan before he performed his healing. 

The good news is that through our baptism we have the power to rebuke Satan.  It happens through the name of Jesus, when we receive our sacraments, when we bless ourselves with Holy Water, when we call upon the saints and the angels in the battle, when we say our prayers, and when we confess our sins and receive forgiveness it is a rebuke of Satan.  When was the last time we prayed, “Get away from me, Satan?”  It is the prayer that calls him out from behind the vail of the evil in this world. 

Satan wants to be glorified as a god.  We see him tempting Jesus to worship him and Jesus responds with the living word “The Lord, your God, shall you worship and him alone shall you serve.”  If in doubt of the presence of Satan there is also the acclamation that the Satan cannot stand.  It is, “Jesus is Lord!”  The next time you sense someone is doing the “devil’s work”, it would probably not be well received to say “Get away, Satan” but what can be said is, “Jesus, is Lord”.  The power of the Spirit will come to our defense and send the devil on his way.  We may then be able to have an honest dialogue calling on the Word of God.