"M" is being tormented by evil spirits. Often in the middle of the night, family or team members will receive threatening, tempting, and demeaning demonic texts trying to derail our efforts:
To her family, the demons recently texted: "You’re worn down, tired of
fighting... she's gone soon... Time to let go... She'll be dead by the end of the
month... You need to stop ... or you're going to get hurt."
To the exorcist, the demons texted: "You best give up ... It's no use. Stop praying."
Sometimes the phone number where the texts originate is listed as "M"'s phone line. However, she is asleep when the texts are sent and there is no record of them on her phone. Other times, the sending phone is listed as: "666-13-666" and "666-00-666." This is just more demonic taunting.
To date, much spiritual progress has been made. Many have been cast out. Although the last ones have been tenacious.
I asked the Deacon in our last session to read the Prologue of John's Gospel (1:1-14), a powerful text used in exorcisms. He began, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God..." When he started, there was a violent reaction. The demons screamed and told him to stop. So we had him read it again and again and again. The agonizing writhing continued. They began to beg and promised to say anything to get him to stop.
But he kept on: "The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it" (v. 5). "M" then said she saw rays of light streaming from the deacon's eyes. The rays of light were shining on the demons and blinding them. Immediately, "M" stopped manifesting and returned to her self, with a smile and in peace.
The demons are not yet gone fully, but they are greatly weakened. "M" says the demons are still blind. Indeed, the Rite of Exorcism warns them: "The longer you delay [leaving], the heavier your punishment shall be." I suspect these demons were blinded permanently as God's punishment for their wicked behavior.
"The Word became flesh, and made his dwelling among us" (v.14). With these great words we approach the Christmas season. Theologians tell us that it was precisely the news of God's incarnation in Jesus that caused Lucifer and his minions to rebel. In an exorcism, it is pure torture to hear it proclaimed.
For the demons and all who reject God, the Light is blinding and casts them into darkness. For those who love him, we are transfigured by the Light and it shines through us.