Are
the End Times upon us? You could make a
case for it. But don’t. That’s the advice of Father Vincent Lampert, the
designated exorcist for the archdiocese of Indianapolis, who trained at the North
American College in Rome and assisted with over 40 exorcisms with longtime
Italian exorcist Father Carmine De Filippis.
the End Times upon us? You could make a
case for it. But don’t. That’s the advice of Father Vincent Lampert, the
designated exorcist for the archdiocese of Indianapolis, who trained at the North
American College in Rome and assisted with over 40 exorcisms with longtime
Italian exorcist Father Carmine De Filippis.
As
an exorcist of 12 years, Father Lampert knows well what evil looks like. It’s
all around us. It always has been and always will be until we leave this earth,
trusting that is, that our destination is ultimately heaven. Father Lampert
admits that he’s seeing more of it these days but not because there is more of it. “The devil has not upped his game,
but more people are willing to play it,” he said.
an exorcist of 12 years, Father Lampert knows well what evil looks like. It’s
all around us. It always has been and always will be until we leave this earth,
trusting that is, that our destination is ultimately heaven. Father Lampert
admits that he’s seeing more of it these days but not because there is more of it. “The devil has not upped his game,
but more people are willing to play it,” he said.
I
interviewed Father Lampert regarding 2 future articles for the National Catholic Register and was curious
what an exorcist thinks of so much talk about the End Times and this being Armageddon—the
final battle between good and evil.
interviewed Father Lampert regarding 2 future articles for the National Catholic Register and was curious
what an exorcist thinks of so much talk about the End Times and this being Armageddon—the
final battle between good and evil.
I
appreciate that Father Lampert does not treat such questions as too sensational. He knows that the devil and spiritual
sensationalism drives our curiosity. For instance, if he gives a talk on Jesus and another one on the devil, ten times
more people show up for the one on the devil.
So, he patiently addresses all inquiries, but then points us to where we
need to go: God and the Church. Thus, our curiosities are satisfied and we end
up directed to God and comforted by the Church.
appreciate that Father Lampert does not treat such questions as too sensational. He knows that the devil and spiritual
sensationalism drives our curiosity. For instance, if he gives a talk on Jesus and another one on the devil, ten times
more people show up for the one on the devil.
So, he patiently addresses all inquiries, but then points us to where we
need to go: God and the Church. Thus, our curiosities are satisfied and we end
up directed to God and comforted by the Church.
And
so it is with talk of the End Times. “I would go to Scripture,” Father Lampert
said and referred to Matthew 24:36. “But about that day or hour no one knows,
not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”
so it is with talk of the End Times. “I would go to Scripture,” Father Lampert
said and referred to Matthew 24:36. “But about that day or hour no one knows,
not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”
“God
warns us not to get involved in the End Times,” he said. “Instead, it’s important, every day, to live
our life as God calls us.” The end itself is not even something we should fear,
according to him. “If we are living our lives the way God calls us, then
whenever he does call, he will find us worthy,” he explained. “Talk of Armageddon often instills fear, but
an authentic relationship with God is one of love and mercy.”
warns us not to get involved in the End Times,” he said. “Instead, it’s important, every day, to live
our life as God calls us.” The end itself is not even something we should fear,
according to him. “If we are living our lives the way God calls us, then
whenever he does call, he will find us worthy,” he explained. “Talk of Armageddon often instills fear, but
an authentic relationship with God is one of love and mercy.”
Fear
is the enemy of true faith, Father Lampert pointed out. “I don’t think faith is
authentic if we are living in fear,” he said. “Fear of God is the beginning of
wisdom, but that is about being in awe of God. Worrying about the End Times is
about the loss of hope, and it brings fear, and anxiety, and destruction. All
of those things are contrary to faith.”
is the enemy of true faith, Father Lampert pointed out. “I don’t think faith is
authentic if we are living in fear,” he said. “Fear of God is the beginning of
wisdom, but that is about being in awe of God. Worrying about the End Times is
about the loss of hope, and it brings fear, and anxiety, and destruction. All
of those things are contrary to faith.”
As
an exorcist, Father Lampert said that although he fights evil head on, his
ministry is about restoring a sense of hope into people’s lives. “I do that as a parish priest as well,” he
said. “It’s about helping people
discover hope and joy and love. That’s the foundation of the Church and it is
echoed in a lot of what Pope Francis tells us.”
an exorcist, Father Lampert said that although he fights evil head on, his
ministry is about restoring a sense of hope into people’s lives. “I do that as a parish priest as well,” he
said. “It’s about helping people
discover hope and joy and love. That’s the foundation of the Church and it is
echoed in a lot of what Pope Francis tells us.”
How
does an exorcist and parish priest find peace and comfort during these
times? In God, according to Father
Lampert. “I always find my sense of
solace in the fact that God is in charge,” he said. “It puts everything in
perspective, and then the worry and fear dissipates. When we put ourselves in
charge instead, that’s what happened with Adam and Eve.”
does an exorcist and parish priest find peace and comfort during these
times? In God, according to Father
Lampert. “I always find my sense of
solace in the fact that God is in charge,” he said. “It puts everything in
perspective, and then the worry and fear dissipates. When we put ourselves in
charge instead, that’s what happened with Adam and Eve.”
Putting
God in charge gives us the power and strength not to let the world overwhelm us,
Father Lampert explained.“The human person is made for more than this life,” he
said.“It’ not just an earthly perspective but a spiritual perspective that
makes us realize we are called to be in relationship with God.”
God in charge gives us the power and strength not to let the world overwhelm us,
Father Lampert explained.“The human person is made for more than this life,” he
said.“It’ not just an earthly perspective but a spiritual perspective that
makes us realize we are called to be in relationship with God.”
A
relationship with God is what gives us true freedom in this world, Father
Lampert said. “But freedom doesn’t mean we get to do whatever we want,” he
said. It means having the freedom to be obedient to God. Otherwise we become
slaves to our own passions.
relationship with God is what gives us true freedom in this world, Father
Lampert said. “But freedom doesn’t mean we get to do whatever we want,” he
said. It means having the freedom to be obedient to God. Otherwise we become
slaves to our own passions.
“Freedom
and obedience go hand in hand with a relationship with God,” Father Lampert
said. And with such a relationship we
have nothing to fear.
and obedience go hand in hand with a relationship with God,” Father Lampert
said. And with such a relationship we
have nothing to fear.
~~~~~~~~~
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