Does Satan exist? What is the greatest proof that he exists?

Many do not believe in the existence of a personified existence of evil, called devil or Satan. It is quite logical for those who do not believe in the existence of God, that they do not believe either in the existence of the devil. What is strange is that you have theologians – speaking about the Catholic Church – and even priests who do not believe in the existence of the devil. They try to find the devil in books and studies and they do not find him there. No wonder, because the devil is interested in human beings and not in books and printed matter!

Now that science has developed and widened its fields of research, especially in area of psychology, many phenomena, which religious people used to explain them by referring to the devil, now are can be explained as some sort of mental dis-order and in some cases can also be controlled or healed through certain treatments.

In fact, not even exorcists are so hasty to conclude that a person is possessed by the devil. Very often they do resort to the rite of exorcism before the have submitted a person for a thorough examination of various psychological disciplines. This could also be the case with satanists. In fact, this is the way criminal courts deal with satanists accused of some crime, even if it is related to “religious” acts, or their defilement.

At this point, one needs to make another observation. If Satan really exists, in the way described in Holy Scriptures as the most cunning among all creatures, the Prince of Darkness and the Prince of Lies, then, can we expect him to show off? Of course not, he is afraid of the light and truth, he cannot stand if not in hiding or in disguise. In fact, the path most effective is to persuade human beings he want to deceive and dominate that he does not exist. Maybe for this reason he does not feel happy not even with Satanists!

So, what is the greatest proof that the devil exists? It is the lives of the Saints. If one were to read the lives of the Saints, as they narrated it, or as it was witnessed by those who wrote about their lives, one would be impressed at the way they were treated, or maltreated, by the devil. But we do not need to go that far: anybody who is on the road to holiness, can testify the great and various temptations one has to bear. The closer one gets to holiness the more the devil intensify his battle and maybe go for a direct confrontation with the poor being, in the hope of breaking his relationship to God and conquer his soul!

Therefore, do not seek any proof for the existence of the devil and Satan. You do not need any. Actually, if you happen to be seeking one, it might be a sign that he is not bothered about you, he does not consider you to be a threat to him, or an enemy! Just commit yourself to do good, to lead a righteous life; give yourself to Jesus and become His disciple, trying to live according to His values of goodness, love, mercy, and forgiveness and you will see what happens to you. It will not take long until you become convinced of his existence, and of how much this reality of evil is also a personal being.

Fr Paul Fenech