Where the Devils Hang Out

Oh, ouch, right?  😬 The kids and I were having a chat the other day about this very point though. It's so easy to lay blame elsewhere for my own stupidity.  I'd like to think some mistakes were inevitable and unavoidable. This darn world we live in!  I want to say "the devil made me do it"... But, really.  Really?

Generally speaking, Beelzebub doesn't need to waste the effort.

One of the saints (I can't remember which one) illustrates this in the tale of a heaven-sent vision.  It seems he was permitted an aerial view of the countryside --  an especially unique perspective for medieval days -- but, more amazing, perhaps, was that as he flew over the hills and valleys, he was allowed to see how the forces of hell dispersed their legions.  And he was surprised at what he found.

Over a Benedictine abbey tucked away in the hillside, demons swarmed like bees around an upset hive.  The air was alive with the sound and smell of them.  Our saint was happy to keep his distance and quickly flew on, anticipating that he'd see much worse at the large and worldly city over the hill, but curious to see how many more fiends would inhabit such an evil place. But, as he approached, he found no cloud of  demons buzzing over the city. No odor of sulfur.  In fact, he couldn't see even one devil. Not one.

He flew in for a closer look.  Maybe the devils were more subtle in cities, he thought.  But, hard as he looked, hovering over the streets and houses and marketplaces, he couldn't catch sight of a single small imp!  He looked in windows, dove down through alleyways and searched the busy thoroughfares, but in the end, all he found was one lone devil lounging at the city gate, picking his teeth.

Our saint, puzzled, asked God, "What the heck?" (Or words to that effect.)  The explanation was simple:

 Most people, led by their own fallen natures and the lures of the world, make their own trouble.  The devils don't need to tempt them; they sin all on their own. It's at the Religious houses -- the convents and abbeys and seminaries -- where the devils need to do the most work to get men and women to fall -- and where they can expect the best return for their labors.

And this explains not only why we need to get our own acts together, but why we need to pray for our Religious: our Sisters, our priests, and our seminarians. Pray hard. Without failing. Every day.

Our Religious are vital to our salvation! We need them to help us not be stupid. And when we are stupid, we need them (and their powerful prayers!) to help us get back straight with God. Pray for our priests and seminarians. Pray for vocations!

Here's a good one for seminarians (We have at least fifteen seminarians, training toward the priesthood under the bishop's supervision now, here in Iowa and in Colorado, both saecular and CMRI, and nine minor seminarians, altogether, in Idaho, including our own two boys.)

Daily Prayer for a Seminarian

Until his Ordination to the Priesthood

O Jesus, Eternal High Priest,

I offer You through Your Immaculate Mother Mary,

Your own Precious Blood, in all the Masses throughout the world, as petition for graces for all seminarians, Your future priests, especially for....

Give them humility, meekness, prudence, and a burning zeal for souls. Fill their hearts with the gifts of the Holy Ghost.

Teach them to know and love the church, that they may always and everywhere speak, act, and think with her, the glorious spouse of Christ.

Teach them generosity and detachment from wordly goods; but above all, teach them to know You and to love the One and Only Eternal Priest. good Shepherd of Souls, hear this my prayer for saintly priests.

Amen.