Guarding Against Diabolical Transformation

Divine Appeal Reflection - 265

Today, consider in Divine Appeal 265: "Mankind hurls torrents of blasphemies and lies against the Church! Many souls who have denied My name will believe in these malicious works. Among them, there is a diabolical transformation and they scandalize the other nations and mankind."

The Divine Appeal unmasks a grave mystery: when souls deny the holy Name of Our Adorable Jesus, they are not merely drifting into doubt but undergoing a sinister exchange. The heart created for God cannot remain a vacuum; it will be indwelt either by the Spirit of Christ or by the spirit of rebellion. To renounce His Name is to strip the soul of its safeguard, leaving it exposed to the deceiver who delights in parodying God’s image. Thus, what begins as denial matures into diabolical transformation—a frightening alteration where thought, speech, and desire are bent not toward the light but toward the enemy of truth. This explains why such souls do not only fall into error but become instruments of it, spreading deception with an evangelical zeal inverted. The devil no longer hides, but through them, wears human voices, sowing scandal and confusion among the nations (cf. Jn 8:44; CCC 407).

We see this transformation manifested visibly in our age. Those who once confessed Christ with their lips now use His very words to mask rebellion, twisting doctrine to fit the culture of man. A false wisdom emerges within the sanctuary itself, elevating discussion above doctrine, activism above devotion, and innovation before loyalty. The altar, which ought to shiver with awe, is frequently used as a performance stage, hiding the Eucharistic mystery under layers of casualness and distraction. This is not merely human frailty—it is a sign of the diabolical transformation whereby the sacred is hollowed out, and what remains is only a semblance of faith, emptied of power. St. Paul forewarned that many would “have the appearance of godliness but deny its power” (2 Tim 3:5). Such scandal disfigures the Bride before the world, so that instead of drawing nations to Christ, she becomes a stumbling block, mocked for her own contradictions.

The saints and popes have not been silent about this mystery of iniquity. Wolves frequently pose as shepherds, leading the flock to destruction under the pretence of providing care, according to St. John Chrysostom. St. Catherine of Siena mourned over corrupt prelates who brought the faithful into more destruction than persecutors could cause because of their faults. In the modern era, Pope Paul VI spoke with prophetic trembling of the “smoke of Satan” infiltrating the temple of God. This infiltration is not merely symbolic; it is the reality of diabolical transformation, when hearts once consecrated to Christ begin to serve His adversary through neglect, compromise, or outright betrayal. In such times, even nations are scandalized. They see not the radiant holiness of Christ’s Bride but a fractured face, marred by hypocrisy, her credibility undermined by those who should safeguard her. Thus, the evil one triumphs doubly: souls are lost within, and the Church’s witness falters without, leaving mankind adrift in confusion.

Yet the Divine Appeal does not leave us in terror but calls us to vigilance, fidelity, and reparation. Our Adorable Jesus unmasks the diabolical transformation not to crush us with despair, but to awaken us to the urgency of remaining steadfast in His Name. For every soul surrendered to lies, another may be transfigured in grace. The antidote is not found in worldly reform but in supernatural fidelity: the trembling reverence of priests who elevate the Host with awe, the hidden sacrifices of consecrated souls who expiate unseen, and the daily fidelity of lay faithful who offer their sufferings in union with the Cross. Against the counter-sign of scandal, Christ sets the radiant sign of holiness. His Eucharist remains the place of divine transformation where bread becomes God, and sinners—if contrite—become children of light. Here alone the Church is renewed, and only here will the nations see that Christ is Lord, to the glory of the Father (Phil 2:11).

Prayer

Our Adorable Jesus, save us from the seductions of the age and the power of diabolical transformation. Keep Your Church undefiled; heal the wounds of scandal; and raise up holy witnesses who live only for You. May every blasphemy be consumed by reparation, and every scandal overcome by the light of Your glory. Amen.

Sr. Anna Ali of the Most Holy Eucharist, intercede for us.