Pope's Mass: The Devil exists even in the 21st Century!

During his daily morning Mass at Casa Santa Marta, Pope Francis was crystal clear: he said the Devil exists and that he doesn't want anyone to follow Christ.

POPE FRANCIS
"Some of you might say: ‘But Father, you really are old fashioned, talking about the devil in the 21st century!’ But watch out because the Devil exists! The Devil exists…Even in the 21st Century! And we mustn't be naive, eh? We must learn from the Gospel how to fight against him.”

Pope Francis added that temptation always tends to grow. He highlighted that it is key to know how to stop it, so that it does not become "a flood of water.”

EXCERPT OF THE POPE'S HOMILY
Source: Vatican Radio

"We too are tempted, we too are the target of attacks by the devil because the spirit of Evil does not want our holiness, he does not want our Christian witness, he does not want us to be disciples of Christ. And what does the Spirit of Evil do, through his temptations, to distance us from the path of Jesus? The temptation of the devil has three characteristics and we need to learn about them in order not to fall into the trap. What does Satan do to distance us from the path of Jesus? Firstly, his temptation begins gradually but grows and is always growing. Secondly, it grows and infects another person, it spreads to another and seeks to be part of the community. And in the end, in order to calm the soul, it justifies itself. It grows, it spreads and it justifies itself.”

"We have a temptation that grows: it grows and infects others. For example, let’s look at gossip: I’m a bit envious of this or that person and at first I’m just envious inside and I need to share it and go to another person and say: "But have you seen that person?’.. and this gossip tries to grow and infects another and another… This is the way gossip works and all of us have been tempted to gossip! Maybe not one of you, if you’re a saint , but I too have been tempted to gossip! It’s a daily temptation. And it begins in this way, discreetly, like a trickle of water. It grows by infecting others and in the end it justifies itself.”

"We are all tempted because the law of our spiritual life, our Christian life is a struggle: a struggle. That’s because the Prince of this world, Satan, doesn’t want our holiness, he doesn’t want us to follow Christ. Maybe some of you might say: ‘But Father, how old fashioned you are to speak about the devil in the 21st century!’ But look out because the devil is present! The devil is here… even in the 21st century! And we mustn't be naive, right? We must learn from the Gospel how to fight against Satan.”