Devotion to Padre Pio "I used to cry for monsters"
The teaching of the Church through the popes Paul VI and John Paul II on the Devil is very clear and strong. It brought to light the traditional theological truth, in all its concreteness. That truth that has always been present and alive even in a dramatic way in the life of Padre Pio and in his teachings.
Padre Pio began to be tormented by Satan as a child. Father Benedetto da San Marco in Lamis, his spiritual director, left written in a diary: «The diabolical harassment began to manifest itself in Padre Pio since he was four years old. The devil presented himself in horrible, often threatening forms. It was a torment that, even at night, did not let him sleep. "
Padre Pio himself said:
«My mother turned off the light and many monsters came close to me and I cried. He lit the lamp and I was silent because the monsters disappeared. Again he turned it off and again I started crying over the monsters. "
The diabolical harassment increased after his entry into the convent. Satan did not just appear to him in horrible forms but beat him to blood.
The struggle continued tremendous throughout his life.
Padre Pio called Satan and his cronies with the strangest names. Among the most frequent are these:
«Baffettone, baffuone, bluebeard, mischievous, unhappy, evil spirit, thigh, ugly thigh, ugly animal, sad thigh, ugly slaps, impure spirits, those unfortunate, malignant spirit, beast, cursed beast, infamous apostate, impure apostates, gallows faces , fairs that roar, evil sneaker, prince of darkness. »
There are countless testimonies from the Father on the battles waged against evil spirits. He reveals frightening situations, rationally inadmissible, but which are in perfect harmony with the truths of the catechism and the teaching of the popes that we have reported. Padre Pio is therefore not the religious "maniac of the devil", as someone has written, but the one who, with his experiences and his teachings, raises a veil on a shocking and terrible reality that everyone tries to ignore.
«Even during the hours of rest, the devil does not allow me to afflict my soul in various ways. It is true that in the past I have been strong with the grace of God not to give in to the snares of the enemy: but what can happen in the future? Yes, I would really like a moment of respite from Jesus, but let his will be done on me. Even from afar, do not fail to send curses to this common enemy of ours to leave me alone. " To Father Benedetto from San Marco in Lamis.
"The enemy of our health is so angry that it hardly leaves me a moment of peace, waging war in various ways." To Father Benedetto.
"If it were not, my father, for the war that the devil is constantly moving, I would be almost in heaven. I am in the hands of the devil who tries hard to tear me from Jesus' arms. How much war, my God, is he moving me. In certain moments, there is little lack of my head going away from the constant violence I have to do to myself. How many tears, how many sighs I address to heaven to get rid of them. But it doesn't matter, I won't tire of praying. " To Father Benedetto.
«The devil wants me for himself at all costs. For all that I am suffering, if I were not a Christian, I would certainly believe that I am a potted person. I do not know what is the reason why God has not so far pitied me. I know, however, that he does not work without very holy ends, useful to us. " To Father Benedetto.
«The weakness of my being makes me fear and makes me sweat cold. Satan with his malignant arts never tires of waging war and conquering the small fortress by besieging it everywhere. In short, Satan is for me like a powerful enemy who, resolved to conquer a square, does not content himself with assaulting it in a curtain or a bastion, but surrounds it for every part, in every part assaults it, in every part it haunts him . My father, the evil arts of Satan frighten me. But from God alone, for Jesus Christ, I hope the grace of always obtaining his victory and never the defeat. " To Father Agostino from San Marco in Lamis.