In his own words, he admits his mistakes, his misfortune and his miscalculations. And yet, he does not repent. He will not repent. He never repents. Nor will Lucifer, the former angel of Light, return to God. Alas, in his misery and eternal exile his only desire is to steal us, so we can burn with him, in a never ending torment. Reject him. Overcome him. In Christ we can. We do.
Our Holy Father Ephraim the Syrian
The evil devil, after he was decisively vanquished by the holy saints and ascetics restrained by God's grace, sat down and railed against himself, weeping and saying: "Woe is me who am miserable! To what have I been subjected? How did it happen that I lost the struggle and ceded victory over myself?
But it is I who have become the author of my own shame, for I started this lengthy battle with them.
After being defeated at the first two battles I should have retreated immediately, seeing that Christ is with them. But since I pursued victory over them, I only increased their reward, to my own disgrace. I should have realized my error before, when I suffered at Christ's hands, when He overthrew all my power. For I did all I could to ensure His crucifixion, but it was His very death that conquered me. I have suffered the very same at the hands of the martyrs. I have raised up kings and prepared torments that the martyrs might see these things and become terrified and renounce Christ.
Not only have they not been terrified by various forms of torture, but they have confessed Christ right up until their death.
And now again, when I wanted to defeat these strugglers in warfare, I had to retreat defeated and with great shame. I boasted of my clever schemes but they are all torn to shreds like a spider's web. I wanted to overpower them with various passions, but they have made me turn back and flee by the power of the Cross. And now at last I do not know what to do. I will leave these courageous strugglers and go to my friends who have chosen a carefree life. Among them I will not have to labor, nor will I need to use any deception. I can take up bonds and tie them up. And after I tie them with the bonds of which they are so fond, I will have them under my control like slaves who always do my bidding voluntarily.
Thus shall they fling themselves into the abyss, and I will rejoice at their ruin and keep them there, that I might have company in the inextinguishable fire." The End.
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In a like manner do we, who are foolish, give authority over ourselves to the enemy, Satan, by cutting ourselves off from God through our rejection of His commandments. Having found us thus stripped of grace, the devil freely takes possession of us, and unopposed he leads us along his path - the path of ruin. O Lord! Grant that we might escape from the evil one, having torn to shreds the bonds with which he has tied us up according to our own choosing. Lay upon us Thy good and easy yoke and send us the strength to carry it, that, traveling along the good path of Thy commandments, we might reach the City which Thou has prepared for them that love Thee. + Amen
Glory to Thee our God.
+ Glory to Thee for All Things! +
Excerpted by Bishop Theophan the Recluse from the works of our Holy Father Ephraim the Syrian.
Devil Sculpture in Madrid, Spain
by Fernando Cortés
