THE FALL OF THE ANGELS 391 Behind the disobedient choice of our first parents lurks a seductive voice, opposed to God, which makes them fall into death out of envy. Scripture and the Church's Tradition see in this being a fallen angel, called "Satan" or the "devil". The Church teaches that Satan was at first a good angel, made by God: "The devil and the other demons were indeed created naturally good by God, but they became evil by their own doing." 392 Scripture speaks of a sin of these angels. This "fall" consists in the free choice of these created spirits, who radically and irrevocably rejected God and his reign. We find a reflection of that rebellion in the tempter's words to our first parents: "You will be like God." The devil "has sinned from the beginning"; he is "a liar and the father of lies". If Satan was originally created as a good angel, why did he fall, why did he reject God? Teresa of Avila writes: I believe His Majesty desires to bring us along this way (the way of suffering, trials, crosses and difficulties) for our own good so that we may understand well what little we amount to. The favors that come afterward are of such great worth that He desires first that before He gives them to us we see by experience our own limitations so that what happened to Lucifer will not happen to us. Life 11:11 The devil, because he has no physical body, did not experience his limitations through suffering He thought he was without limits Therefore, he thought he did not need God So He did not want God Why is Lucifer in Hell? He did not want God Christianity is declining in first world countries, they are turning away from God, because they have everything so they think they do not need God and therefore do not want God and never set out to pursue friendship with God in prayer. This is pride which can only be overcome by grace and humility. Humility is recognizing two things I have limits I have a divine potential I need God, therefore I want God, so I pursue a deep friendship with God in prayer. CCC 393 It is the irrevocable character of their choice, and not a defect in the infinite divine mercy, that makes the angels' sin unforgivable. "There is no repentance for the angels after their fall, just as there is no repentance for men after death." This seems pretty harsh or frightening that the angel’s sin is irrevocable and there is no repentance for us after death. However, we must realize we create a reality by our choices that cannot be undone at some point. Because their knowledge was complete and because there was no material component to their person, the angel’s decision was definitive immediately. Our choices forge our character and destiny over time, bit by bit. In giving you a soul, God has given you a lump of clay that you are forming, choice by choice into either a God-like or demonic statue. As time goes by that clay, your statue, your soul, gets harder to change. The more you chose good actions that become good habits or virtues the more the statue becomes God-like. The more we make bad choices that become bad habits or vices the more the statue become demonic. At some point it cannot be changed for good or for evil. Even now it is getting harder to change. What kind of statue are you shaping? CCC 394 Scripture witnesses to the disastrous influence of the one Jesus calls "a murderer from the beginning", who would even try to divert Jesus from the mission received from his Father. Likewise, the devil wants to divert you away from the mission you have received from God, the devil wants to turn you away from doing the will of God. The greatest weapon we have to help us stay focused on the will of God is to go back to meditation each day, beginning with a brief examination of conscience – did I do the will of God yesterday. Do I want to do the will of God today? Yes, ok, now do your meditation, reflect and think about the Word of God, then make a simple concrete resolution.