Some say that the demons control affairs on earth. Not so, says St. John Chrysostom. you're lucky God doesne't really let the deomons take over.
The sun is not more obvious than the providence of God. Nevertheless, some people dare to say that demons control our affairs.
What can I say? You have a loving Master. He chooses to be blasphemed by these words, rather than to hand your affairs over to the demons, and show you by real experience how demons govern. Then you would really know how wicked they are by experiencing it yourself.
But I can show you by a little example. Certain men who were possessed by demons came out from the tombs to mee Christ, and the demons kept begging him to be allowed to enter the herd of swind. And he allowed them, and they went away, and immediately drove them off a cliff (Mathew 8:28-34)
Tha's how demons govern! And yet the swine weere of no real importance to them. But with you there is always war without truce, and an implacable fight, and undying hatred. And if they would not even allow creatures with whom they had nothing in common a brief breathing saping in time, what wouldn't they have done if they had got us into their power - us, their enemies, who are always stinging them? What incurable evil would they have accomplishedf?
This is why God let them fall on that herd of swine: so that you could learn their wickedness from what they did to the bodies of irrational animals. It's obvious to everyone that they would have done to the possessed what they did to the swine, irf the demoniacs in their very amdenes had not experienxcd the providence of God. So now when you see a manb provoked by a demon, worship the Master.
-St. John Chrysostom, Homily 1 on the Power of demons, 6
IN GOD'S PRESENCE, CONSIDER . . .
Do I remember to thank God for his providence, even when I can't immediatelly see it in action?
CLOSING PRAYER
fATHER, CRUSH sATAN, AND LET ALL YOUR ENEMIES BE SCATTERED, AND THOSE WHO HATE YOUR NAME BE PUT TO FLIGHT.
