Saint Padre Pio who is one of my favorite Saints and whom I am lucky enough to get to read His writings and experiences each day, had many encounters with Satan directly. Satan used to come frequently to Him in his room late at night and physically beat Him, appear to tempt Him as young naked women, the Pope etc. Satan even came to Him and gave confession one day and Padre Pio was astonished and realized when the Sins confessed where of such a great nature that He asked the person to say I love The Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and The blessed Virgin Mother, as with any Demon he could not utter the name of God and He then revealed Himself and threw Father Pio out the confessional booth.
On many occasion Satan reveled to Padre Pio why He attacked Him so frequently and on one occasion Satan said that it was because Padre Pio was making people aware that Satan actually existed. For Satan's greatest assets is the fact that most people think He is just part of our imagination and this allows Him to lead us astray, away from The Lord with greater ease. For if we acknowledge that He exists then we must also acknowledge that we sin and need to correct our actions and be mindful of ourselves.
Saint Herman of Alaska also had experiences where Demons and Satan came to Him and tried to get Him to do things. One day a Bishop came to Him and went into His house, the great Saint did not acknowledge Him and after some time he asked the Saint why this was so. Saint Herman told Him the story and said that unless when they enter His Hut or before He speaks to anyone they must recite Lord Jesus Christ is our Savior, for Demons and Satan can't utter such words and go away. The Bishop spoke these words and spent time with the Saint to which Saint Herman told many of His experiences.
In another Orthodox writing, beautiful words where written that said we should have an attitude of repentance within and without and move forward with each action as such. For when we move forward in this manner we are conscious of God and each soul around us. Saint Sofia of Kleasora also spoke about repentance but not that we see ourselves as bad or that we are hard on ourselves but so that we become conscious of those around us and try and do no hurt to them for them we do Hurt to Jesus our savior. For each day during the Liturgy our Lord and Savior Jesus allows Himself to be crucified for the forgiveness of our sins. How merciful He is, each drop of His blood shed for us is His grace removing our sins. How long brothers and sisters must He be crucified how long will we keep going on without repentance and realizing that it is time to change to become more conscious, to become more Divine love in nature.
The question then must be asked why we allow Satan not be acknowledged by us? Why do we keep allowing Him to run amok outside and inside of us, are we afraid of Him? When we have the Lords name on our lips and reverberating in our hearts He cannot come close. Or is it the fact that if we acknowledge Him it means we have to acknowledge that we Sin, that we need to be more conscious, change and repent more for our actions. We should realize at some point we will need to look inside ourselves with honesty and take stock of our actions either now or before God when our souls leave the body. There is one thing all the Saint say, rather do this now and change now before you are standing before God the Father for then it is to late.
May The Lord and Savior guide you and protect you.
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