“And when an unclean spirit is gone out of a man he walketh through dry places seeking rest, and findeth none. Then saith: ‘I will return into my house from whence I came out.’ And coming he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. Then he goeth, and taketh with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is made worse than the first. So shall it be also to this wicked generation.”
An unclean spirit, going out of someone due to their conversion that has turned to God, giving place to the reign of the Kingdom of Heaven: “For lo, the kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:21), then dwells in what Jesus calls “dry places,” which are the hearts of those that do not believe, that are not watered with the love that comes from the sacraments, Scripture, and authentic spirituality: “In a desert land, and where there is no way, and no water” (Psalm 62:3). Because there is no work to be done in a soul in such a state, they find no rest, being agitated to spread malice in hearts that love. Because demons have no hope of conversion, and one’s heart can only find rest in the love of God: “Thou wilt keep peace: peace, because we have hoped in thee” (Isaias 26:3), they live in an unquiet state, filled with the restless noise of hate: “Why have the Gentiles raged, and the people devised vain things?” (Psalm 2:1). Thus, they seek a heart to torment into falling. Or, this can mean that in entering the state of grace, the malicious spirit that once directed your life: “Amen, amen I say unto you: that whosever committeth sin, is the servant of sin” (John 8:34) now looks at the dry places of the hearts of the faithful, who have dried up the fountains of vice that once possessed them: “My sister, my spouse, is… a fountain sealed up” (Canticle 4:12), and having no foothold with which to enter, puts its eye back upon you, that it may find a weak point in your heart into which he may sink his teeth: “Be sober and watch: because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, goeth about seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8). The primitive rule of St. Francis makes an excellent exhortation to always be found in prayer, be this vocal prayer like the Our Father or the Psalms, which all praise God and ask for His favor; or mental prayer, by which your heart and mind open up before Jesus to know His merciful love: “Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved” (John 13:23), or to be found in work, that you may build a fortress of loving action and good work: “But the wall was finished the five and twentieth day of the month of Elul, in two and fifty days. And it came to pass when all our enemies heard of it, that all nations which were round about us, were afraid, and were cast down within themselves, for they perceived that this work was the work of God” (2 Esdras 6:15-16); “It is a faithful saying: and these things I will have thee affirm constantly: that they, who believe in God, may be careful to excel in good works” (Titus 3:8); “Therefore, whilst we have time, let us work good to all men, but especially to those who are of the household of the faith” (Galatians 6:10). Without these defenses, “Jerusalem shall be inhabited without walls” (Zacharias 2:4), which leads to the downfall of sin: “And a breach was made into the city: and all the men of war fled in the night between the two walls by the king’s garden” (4 Kings 25:4). This is what it means to have the enemy find your soul empty, that is, of good work and prayer; though it may be swept and garnished by a semblance of goodness, you need to receive the love of God in prayer that you may bear true fruit from an abundance of love: “He shall be like a tree which is planted near the running waters, which shall bring forth its fruit, in due season. And his leaf shall not fall off: and all whatsoever he shall do shall prosper” (Psalm 1:3). This is what is meant by the parable of the fig tree: “A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it, and found none” (Luke 13:6), which needs to be fertilized with love: “Lord, let it alone this year also, until I dig about it, and dung it. And if happily it bear fruit: but if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down” (Luke 13:8-9). The enemy will test your every weakness, which is what is meant by taking seven spirits more wicked than itself, bringing every vice imaginable and the most grievous temptations it can that it may ruin your love story: “Remember, O Lord, the children of Edom, in the day of Jerusalem: who say: ‘Rase it, rase it, even to the foundation thereof’” (Psalm 136:7). This is why St. Paul so urgently exhorts to arm yourself with truth, justice, peace, faith, confidence in your salvation, and knowledge of Sacred Scripture, which is the sword of the Spirit, and prayer (Ephesians 6:13-18). It is worse to have been a temple of God and forsake Him through falling back into sin than to have not known Him at all, but in all things cling to His merciful love, that you may always be near your protector: “I will love thee, O Lord, my strength: the Lord is my firmament, my refuge, and my deliverer. My God is my helper, and in him will I put my trust” (Psalm 17:2), for the glorious armor of virtue is set upon broken legs when you do not cling to your Abba in trust and love: “We have sinned before the Lord our God, and have not believed him, nor put our trust in him” (Baruch 1:17). Therefore, Theophila, fill the house of your soul with much prayer and many acts of love: “And God is able to make all grace abound in you; that ye always, having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:8); “Let all your things be done in love” (1 Corinthians 16:14), sweeping it with frequent confessions that you may have the grace to overcome what holds you back from loving well: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all iniquity” (1 John 1:9), and garnish it with spiritual beauty, that you may be brought before God robed in white as a bride: “For I am jealous of you with the jealousy of God. For I have espoused you to one husband that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ” (2 Corinthians 11:2); “How beautiful art thou, my love, how beautiful art thou!” (Canticle 4:1); “Behold thou art fair, O my love, behold thou art fair, thy eyes are as those of doves” (Canticle 1:14), and by prayer and upright love may your walls be impenetrable: “I will make thee to this people as a strong wall of brass: and they shall fight against thee, and shall not prevail: for I am with thee to save thee, and to deliver thee, saith the Lord” (Jeremias 15:20); “Thy neck is as the tower of David, which is built with bulwarks: a thousand bucklers hang upon it, all the armour of valiant men” (Canticle 4:4).