Satan Fell Like Lightening
- davidwperk
- Oct 23, 2024
- 6 min read
Devotional Reflections, Wednesday, October 23, 2024
Proper 24, the week of the twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost
The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D.
Key phrases for reflection from today’s Gospel reading:
17 The seventy returned with joy, saying, ‘Lord, in your name even the demons submit to us!’ 18He said to them, ‘I watched Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightning. 19See, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing will hurt you. 20Nevertheless, do not rejoice at this, that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.’
You will find the full text of today's Gospel at the end of this reflection.
Daily Office Lectionary Readings (BCP, 989)
AM Psalm 38; PM Psalm 119:25-48
Ecclus. 7:4-14; Rev. 8:1-13; Luke 10:17-24
Today we celebrate the Feast of James of Jerusalem. (See below.)
David’s Reflections
When the seventy returned from their ministry of preceding Jesus, they came with glowing reports. Jesus responded with verse 18, “I watched Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightening.” Jesus’ vision looked beyond his own impending death and resurrection, with the understanding that the powers of darkness would suffer a decisive defeat because of his triumph. He saw in the report of the seventy a foretaste of that victory his own death and resurrection would effect. One can embrace that victory, whether the powers involved are literal spiritual beings or evil structures given mythological existence in language.
C. E. B. Cranfield, a New Testament scholar, once quipped that the greatest victory of the demons might be to convince us of their nonexistence. In today’s Gospel, Jesus reveals how convinced he is of their existence. Some remain committed to a more modern worldview that the world of the Spirit, angels and demons, can be seen as a mythological construct with no substantial existence. In other words, there is no personal being known as Satan and angels have only a mythological existence. I prefer to see the language as mythological, as in the creation stories of Genesis, but language that references realities one cannot capture without the language of myth.
To call something myth does not necessarily negate its substantial existence; rather, myth is a poetic form of language that describes realities one cannot describe with ordinary prose. On Monday, Wednesday and Friday, I see the language of Satan and demons as strictly mythological, but on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, I suspect personal spiritual realities lie behind that language. On Sundays, I take a Sabbath rest from the mental debate.
The biblical writers looked beneath the surface of their world with its abusive/oppressive political and religious powers, conflicts, exploitation, and evils. Beneath that surface they saw a more profound conflict, which those realities evidenced. That other conflict was one between God and Satan, between the rule of God and the rule of darkness. They personalized the conflict as God versus Satan.
The means of divine victory would not be the raw exercise of power. Rather victory comes about by God in Christ bearing the evil of the world, taking it unto Godself, and not allowing that evil to generate an evil response in God. Evil would find itself robbed of its power precisely because love triumphed over it.
Jesus promises us his power to continue triumphing over evil without ourselves being harmed in the process. (Verse 19—“ I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing will hurt you”.) That is true of our personal lives when we find ourselves in the grip of a struggle with our own inner darkness. It also is true of our ministry in the world. Each triumph finds us breathing more deeply within, experiencing ourselves being lifted out of inner darkness and freed of its grip, Satan falls from heaven like a flash of lightening. Each time we see another person delivered from self-destructiveness and evil, Satan falls from heaven like a flash of lightening. Each time exploitation gives way to justice Satan falls from heaven like a flash of lightening.
(Note: For a fascinating book by a literary critic retired from teaching at Stanford, see the work of René Girard, I See Satan Fall Like Lightening [Orbis, 2001]. This book, with a title based on Jesus’ statement in this reading, brings to a conclusion a lifetime of work on violence and the sacred. His earlier works, Violence and the Sacred and The Scapegoat also are well worth reading.)
Collect of the Day: Proper 24, the twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost
Almighty and everlasting God, in Christ you have revealed your glory among the nations: Preserve the works of your mercy, that your Church throughout the world may persevere with steadfast faith in the confession of your Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (BCP, 235)
Today we celebrate the Feast of James of Jerusalem, Apostle and martyr (New Testament).
Collect of the Feast of James of Jerusalem
Grant, O God, that, following the example of your servant James the Just, brother of our Lord, your Church may give itself continually to prayer and to the reconciliation of all who are at variance and enmity; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and ever. Amen.
A Collect for Grace
Lord God, almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought us in safety to this new day: Preserve us with your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (BCP, 100)
For the Sick
Heavenly Father, giver of life and health: Comfort and relieve your sick servants, and give your power of healing to those who minister to their needs, that those (or N., or NN.) for whom our prayers are offered may be strengthened in their weakness and have confidence in your loving care; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (BCP, 260)
A Prayer for Light
Lighten our darkness, we beseech you, O Lord; and by your great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night; for the love of your only Son, Jesus Christ, Amen. (BCP, 111)
A Collect for Mission
Lord Jesus Christ, you stretched out your arms of love on the hard wood of the cross that everyone might come within the reach of your saving embrace: So clothe us in your Spirit that we, reaching forth our hands in love, may bring those who do not know you to the knowledge and love of you; for the honor of your Name. Amen. (BCP, 101)
Daily Office Gospel, Luke 10:17-24
17 The seventy returned with joy, saying, ‘Lord, in your name even the demons submit to us!’ 18He said to them, ‘I watched Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightning. 19See, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing will hurt you. 20Nevertheless, do not rejoice at this, that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.’ 21At that same hour Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, ‘I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. 22All things have been handed over to me by my Father; and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.’ 23Then turning to the disciples, Jesus said to them privately, ‘Blessed are the eyes that see what you see! 24For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.’
Daily Offices in the Book of Common Prayer
Morning Prayer, Rite 2, page 75, The Book of Common Prayer
Noonday Prayer, page 103, Book of Common Prayer
Order of Worship for Evening (Vespers), p 109, Book of Common Prayer
Evening Prayer, Rite 2, page 115, Book of Common Prayer
Compline (Night Prayer), page 127, Book of Common Prayer
Daily Devotionals, page 136, Book of Common Prayer
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