Halloween, the Occult, and the Power of Jesus

I watched the “Annabelle Comes Home” movie this past weekend. It asked the question: what happens when someone dies, do they live on?

In the film one of the characters wants to know what happened to her father after he died, and her curiosity opens herself up to the occult even though she was warned not to touch a cursed item.

It seems many people like to examine questions about life and death.

My college friend once visited a tarot card reader to get her fortune read. She didn't believe in it exactly, but went to the psychic out of curiosity. She also thought her father's house was haunted. Her father had performed abortions early on in his career, and I always wondered if there was a connection. I told her that Catholics reject things like tarot cards because we believe God is in control of what happens to us.

I'm a chicken. I never liked horror movies, or wanted anything supernatural to happen to me. Once, I had a supernatural experience though.

When my mother died on a First Saturday, after completing the First Saturday Devotion, I knew in my heart that she was in heaven. I have a devotion to Mary thanks to her influence.

My grandmother on my father's side was not very religious for most of her life. She became a regular church-goer in her later years. She was wonderful to me and I love her. Maybe that was why, when she was dying in a hospital room, I gave her my scapular to wear.

My father, brother, and I took turns throughout the night staying with my grandma as we knew she would die soon.

Around 3 am I woke up, wide awake. I looked at the clock, realized that I didn't need to get up yet, and closed my eyes. In the hallway was a nightlight.

I noticed it became very dark suddenly-- as if the light that glowed from the hallway nightlight was blocked. I felt an evil presence standing in my doorway. I felt it was very angry--like a thousand angry bees. I was terrified. I couldn't move. Finally, I said the name of Jesus three times in my mind, asking for help, and then it left as quickly as it appeared.

I got up, and then I remembered that my dad was at the hospital with my grandmother.

Soon my dad came home. I drove to the hospital. I found out from a nurse that my grandmother had died during the time my dad had left and before I had gotten there, about 5 am.

Later on, I told my story of the evil spirit in the doorway to my brother, who also had prayed with my grandmother the night before she died. My brother told me he thought about offering our grandma his scapular, but since I offered mine, he felt glad because he did not want to give away his scapular.

Today I still believe that when the devil came to harass Grandma during her last hours on earth, the scapular protected her. 

We rarely talk about our final moments on earth, death, and judgment. I think it is because of fear that people might find it uncomfortable. But people will always be curious about death, and for a lot of people this means seeking out alternative ideas which the occult offers.

At the end of the Annabelle movie there is a scene where the girl is relieved when she is told by the psychic this life is not all there is.

This time of year there is a lot of attention paid to evil. Halloween is not just a secular holiday, it's roots are religious. The day is a reminder we too shall die. We will have to face the evil of our own choices.

Jesus spoke of his followers having power over evil spirits. While some horror movies may lead us to believe there is no power to defeat evil, we know there is. It is the name of Jesus. His power is stronger than death.

When we prepare for death, it is a great comfort to know there is such a thing as a happy death. The happiest remembrance of a happy death is called All Saints Day.

The power of Jesus Christ conquers the false gods of the occult. How blessed are we!