The term "exorcism" is a word full of highly emotional value: it arouses fear, curiosity turns to reality, mysterious, puzzling and derision as superstitious and archaic realities. For Catholics, exorcism is a command addressed to the devil by a priest, appointed by his bishop, in the name and the power of Jesus Christ to turn away and stop harassing believers who have been redeemed by the passion and death of Christ. In all those cultures and religions which believe in the existence and activity of demonic powers and evil spirits exorcism rituals and practices are always, more or less evolved, to liberate and free itself from malicious forces, diseases and physical and psychological from all that harms personal life and a peaceful society.
E 'this is a universal fact that emerges from studies of the comparative history of religions from those of cultural anthropology. This confirms a universal fact: the face of evil, human beings have always tried to defend themselves using otherworldly perhaps in the knowledge that there was in him the chance to win this battle alone. In the so-called primitive or archaic religions, this task is entrusted to the wizards through the recitation of incantations with screams, whistles accompanied by the roar of certain instruments and certain gestures (laying on of hands, blowing, spitting in the direction of the spirits, etc.).. This claim is already evident in the ancient rites of the Assyrian-Babylonian religion, but this happened even in pre-Columbian religions. Even
Judaism knows exorcism rites, witnessed by the New Testament: Jesus answering those accused him of using the name Beelzebul to cast out demons, says: "And in the name of your children cast them out?" (Mt 19, 13-14). The gospel has more the role of Jesus is the exorcism of San Marco and from this we report an incident, among many others: "Jesus went to Capernaum, and entered the synagogue on the Sabbath. A man who was in the synagogue possessed by an unclean spirit cried out: "What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? You come to destroy? I know who you are, the Holy One of God. " And Jesus rebuked him: "Shut up! Out of him. " And the unclean spirit, tearing and a loud cry came out of him "(Mk 1.23 to 26). The Acts of the Apostles (19.13 to 14) speak of itinerant exorcists who learned to use the name of Jesus in their exorcisms. The practice exorcistic Judaism is confirmed by Josephus in Antiquities, and is also found in the mysterious and fascinating community of Qumran.
In the NT Jesus casts out demons by the power of his word (Mk 4, 25-26), by the power of the Spirit of God in Him (Mt 12, 22-32), also called the finger of God (Lk 11:20), placing his hands (Mark 5, 32). His disciples receive from Christ the power to cast out the evil (Mt 10:7), and the success depends on the power of the Word of Christ and faith in him and is also obtained by prayer and fasting (Mark 9, 28 - 29), with the laying on of hands (Mark 16:18). Important what we read in chapter 10 of San Luca, the power to exorcise is not given only to the Twelve Apostles, but is also extended to the simple disciples: "After this the Lord appointed 72 others and sent them two by two ahead of him in every city or place where was to visit. The 72 returned with joy saying, "Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name." Jesus said, "But do not rejoice because the demons are subject to you, but rejoice because your names are written in heaven" (Lk 10,1.17.20). The history of the Church that is born after the ascension of the risen Jesus to heaven and the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost is told in the book of Acts where the Apostles often are the struggles of the apostles and early Christians against the devil and the various forms of magic and divination. In the early centuries of Christianity, the use of exorcism was practiced widely enough to establish the order dell'esorcistato. San Giustino, who was martyred in Rome in 165, wrote in Apology: "Many possessed in the world and your city, which were not recovered from all the other exorcists, magicians and sorcerers, and even now they healed them heal many of our Christians, doing incantations in the name of Jesus Christ. "(Apology, II, 6).
Pope Cornelius, who was martyred in 253, in his letter of 251 to Bishop Flavian of Antioch, after detailed information on the number of priests and deacons of the Church of Rome, speaks of exorcists as a "special class". Tertullian also testifies that the use of insufflation liturgical gesture slowly and gently blow on obsessive. The Apostolic Tradition adds cross marks on various parts of the body such as the forehead, ears and nose. Lactantius in the fourth century, attests to the sign of the cross joined the invocation of the name of Christ. Between the third and fourth centuries are being introduced all the elements of the rite of exorcism characteristic of the Roman liturgy. Among the rituals of exorcism is necessary to mention the most important ritual in 1614 by Paul V Title: De exorcizandis obsessis a devil. In it, which was in force until a few years ago to be replaced by another that mirrors closely the various gestures, read in the formulas that accompanied them, were characterized by clear reference to the victory of Christ over the devil el'implorazione Holy Spirit implementing his victory in this Easter season and takes the place vacated by the devil. On January 25, 1983 was promulgated the new Code of Canon Law states that the innovations of Vatican II.
About the exorcism, canon 1172 states: "No one can utter about exorcisms legitimately possessed, though he may obtain from the place special and express permission. " In the early 90's Weekly reported the European exorcistic of the Servant of God John Paul II. I take an excerpt from the article: "The episodes are known to family members and some members of the papal secretariat of state," The fact that the Pope exorcised, "say the Vatican," is not surprising because he made a gesture that it is for every Catholic bishop. And 'well known that Karol Wojtyla, Archbishop and Cardinal already, exorcised. " (The European, April 7, 1990, p. 39). But be careful not to fall into the easy extraordinary, because the action of the Church Liberation of the Catholic faithful normally takes place through prayer and the sacraments, especially through the Sacrament of Reconciliation. In fact, the faithful, even if reborn in Christ through baptism, experience, for the duration of their existence, the temptations of evil must therefore ensure, through prayer and with the simplicity of life, because their enemy, "the Devil, like a roaring lion, goes about seeking someone to devour "(1 Peter 5:8). He must stand firm in your faith, "sustained by the strength of the Lord and the strength of its power" (Eph 6:10) and supported by the Prayer of the Church, with which it requests that its members are safe from disturbance. For grace of the sacraments, especially the frequent celebration of penitential confession, gain spiritual strength to attain full freedom of the sons of God (cf. Rom 8:21).
It is essential therefore that the path of liberation is accompanied by an intense sacramental life and prayer, not only of people affected but also of his close relatives and those who have daily relationships with the subject. Common sense tells us that each of us to preserve and enhance the state of personal grace is the easiest victory over ordinary shares of the Demon (temptation) and is both the best prevention against a possible extraordinary action. The Catholic Church has received from Christ to continue the mission, in space and time, his saving work, as the universal sacrament of redemption. Every aspect of church life: the catechetical ministry of liturgy, canon law and so on is that explanation and evidence of saving power, in view of which it is continually enriched by the gifts and charisms of the Holy Spirit. Call to donate the outer and inner liberation from sin and from all that hinders the Christians in their adherence to the word of God, the Church administers the power of the Cross and Resurrection. The Exorcism then becomes an expression of "sing" in time for the gift of the Holy Spirit, the mysterium paschale of Christ, who has won the Devil with its fruits of destruction and death. The work of redemption is in itself the celebration by the Church of the gift of the Father in Christ for the sanctifying power of the Spirit for the benefit of those believers, subject to the yoke of the devil. If God is with us, who can be against us.
Don Marcello Stanzione
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