Matthew 8:28-34

Whenever people talk about the devil, I always recommend the film, The Exorcism of Emily Rose, which is based on a true story. There was a scene in the film wherein Emily Rose was speaking to Mama Mary. She asked why the exorcism was not successful. Mama Mary said that the demons will stay but she has two options: She can go peacefully to heaven or she can continue to suffer and show the world that the spiritual realm is real.

In discussing the spiritual realm, Jesus dealt with two demoniacs in the Gospel. Hence indeed, the reality of the Spiritual Realm.

Three reflections on the Spiritual Realm:

1. In this world there is the material and the spiritual, and there is the seen and the unseen. We human beings are made up of both a body which came from dust and will return to dust, and we have a soul which goes on to eternity. Hence, the soul is most important. 
2. In the spiritual realm, there is good and there is evil. Where did evil come from? Lucifer was actually an angel, otherwise known as light or the shining one. He wanted to take over because he was so gifted, and he wanted to be like “god.” Notice this is also how he tempted Eve, “You will be like God.” He and a third of the angels in heaven were cast out, thus giving birth to evil.
3. Remember the First Commandment, “I am the Lord your God, you shall not have no other gods.” Hence, anything regarding the spiritual should make us very discerning. No matter how accurate a “manghuhula” is, God does not work that way. No matter how good a faith healer is or what spirits heal you, when you start construction with a padugo, you are offering not to God but to elementals. Yes, our trust in God is compromised when we have the image of God in our house along with more Feng Shui materials. Having a third eye opened is not a gift from God, so why would he want us to suffer? Just the same, Ouija is not a harmless game even if it is available at Toys R Us. 

If we just open our eyes to what is happening in the world, how can one say that the devil does not exist? When it comes to the matters of the unseen, be very discerning. We can learn from Saints who battled the devil:

• St. Paul said, “Be sober-minded, be watchful; your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”
• Don Bosco said that the devil is afraid of frequent communion and visits to the Blessed Sacrament. He would also often say that the Rosary is very powerful.