Padre Pio often had to fight the devil. His battles gave him great insights into how the Prince of Darkness works, which he was able to pass on to his spiritual sons and daughters.
In a 1916 letter to the Ventrella sisters, he offers this consolation about temptation:
Remember that if a demon is causing an uproar, it is a sign that he is still on the outside and not on the inside of you. What we need to be terrified about is a demon that is at peace and has harmony with a human soul. …
Read more:
Be careful of Satan when he’s sweet and polite, warns pope
Drive away your vain fears and scatter these shadows that bring the devil closer to you to torment you and make you hang back, even from daily Communion if possible … I know that the Lord allows these attacks by the enemy because his mercy makes you precious to him, and he wants you to resemble him in his agony in the desert, in the garden, and on the cross. You need to defend yourselves by sending the devil away and scorning his malignant insinuations.
Read more:
Pope in Padre Pio’s hometown: The devil gets inside us
[Find this and more letters in Padre Pio’s Spiritual Direction for Every Day.]
And today we celebrate...