Was Satan there?

[exiled]

When the angel appeared to the Blessed Mother, can we assume that Satan was there, tempting her away from the “Fiat”?
We know that Satan would not have wanted the Son of God to come into the world, but did he have knowledge that she was the ordained Mother of God? Did he ignore this opportunity to thwart God’s plan? I doubt it. My guess is that he was there with all of his efforts.
With that in mind, how much should we be awed by the faith and trust of this young mother?
Satan told Eve she would certainly not die if she ate of the fruit. My understanding is also that Satan’s presence in the garden was far more threatening than a little garter snake. Eve (and Adam) were not willing to lay down their lives in obedience.
What do we suppose Satan was saying to Our Lady while the Gabriel was with her. Again, are we to suppose that Satan was unable to interfere?
Was Satan reminding her of the punishment she would receive for being found pregnant out of wedlock?
I’m trying to p(name removed by moderator)oint the magnificent implications of her obedience, not that the Church has not already taught of her perfect example.

 

[FightingFat]

I don’t think he’d dare.

I also think that the Angels are here for our protection. Would Gabriele, the Arch-Angel allow Satan to be in the same room as him? Can’t see it!

 

[Hastrman]

Would Gabriele, the Arch-Angel allow Satan to be in the same room as him? Can’t see it!

Actually, all other things being equal, Lucifer the Seraph could beat Gabriel the Archangel as easily as changing the subject–he’s still the most powerful of all created beings. But Gabriel had God backing him up, so all other things weren’t equal.

I would say Satan might have tried to tempt Mary, but would be hampered by A) her extreme, indeed total, state of grace, and B) the fact she did not have a fallen nature, therefore no natural inclination to sin. So, basically, lots of luck, Peacock Boy.

 

[I_A]

I don’t see where scripture mentions Satan there. The Gospels are pretty explicit when Satan attempts to tempt Christ.

 

[Cardinalsong]

Actually, all other things being equal, Lucifer the Seraph could beat Gabriel the Archangel as easily as changing the subject–he’s still the most powerful of all created beings. But Gabriel had God backing him up, so all other things weren’t equal.

I would say Satan might have tried to tempt Mary, but would be hampered by A) her extreme, indeed total, state of grace, and B) the fact she did not have a fallen nature, therefore no natural inclination to sin. So, basically, lots of luck, Peacock Boy.

However, neither Adam nor Eve had a fallen nature when they were tempted and yet they still sinned. So with that in mind, even though it’s not mentioned in scripture, it’s definitely possible that Satan was lurking around nearby.

 

[Evan]

I would not think Satan was there more than any other place. Prior to this Mary was a nobody. Not destined to be great in the world. Or at least to Satan that would be her appearance.

We know that Satan did not know who Jesus was. For he never would have tried to tempt God for God would never deny God. And we know he tempted Jesus both in the Desert and in the Garden.

Satan does not know all things. Only God is omniscient. If he knew who were to be great, he would attack them at a young age. He generally attacks God’s special souls after they have begun to become attuned to the Divine Graces being offered to them.

For example. Padre Pio was often attacked by Satan after having recieved the Sacred Stigmata but no attacks were forthcoming when he was a child.

 

[exiled]

Well, Satan knew the Scriptures, and may well have known of the prophesied virgin. In no way am I trying to imply that Satan is omniscient, but I am trying to absorb the magnitude of her willingness to do God’s will, and the very real circumstances surrounding the situation.

 

[exiled]

I don’t see where scripture mentions Satan there. The Gospels are pretty explicit when Satan attempts to tempt Christ.

I never said it was in Scripture. But, Satan is everywhere, trying to tempt us away from God all the time. So, while the Bible may be silent on the subject in the specific passage, it is a given, IMO, that he played some role, large or small. Just looking for others’ thoughts.

 

[Hastrman]

I would not think Satan was there more than any other place. Prior to this Mary was a nobody. Not destined to be great in the world. Or at least to Satan that would be her appearance.

She was a nobody to humans. I think Satan could be counted on to know, “Uh-oh, this one’s free of Original Sin. This is gonna be a lot harder.”

Considering he’s a lot smarter than humans, even unfallen humans, and knows everything not known only by God, I think Satan probably knew more of what was going on–heck, a *lot *more of what was going on–than Our Lady herself did, at the time.

Padre Pio was not the Godbearing Holy of Holies, he was a normal person. No comparisons are even remotely possible.

 

[Franciscan]

Here’s a reflection of John Paul II…ewtn.com/library/papaldoc/jp2bvm21.htm

 

[tm30]

We know that Satan would not have wanted the Son of God to come into the world, but did he have knowledge that she was the ordained Mother of God? Did he ignore this opportunity to thwart God’s plan?

First, Satan cannot predict the future as God already knows it, however, as the supreme intellectual angel, it’s likely he knew something was up, and what it pertained to. The problem is, Satan, in his pride, could not conceive of the “sign” that the angels announced to the shepherds - a child laid in a manger. Those who could not fathom a Christ in poverty expected him to come in riches, splendor, and earthly power. It would not be unreasonable to assume that if Satan were to fashion himself a savior, he would be all of the above, and not a child born in a cave to a 13 year-old “handmaiden”. Therefore, I think it’s probable that God did an end-run around Satan (since He certainly had the power to do so) in order to prevent any temptation to the contrary against Mary.

With that in mind, how much should we be awed by the faith and trust of this young mother?

Luke’s Infancy Narrative paints Mary as a true contemplative mystic. She “kept all these things in her heart”, as it was related to his sources, throughout the first two chapters. Which begs the question, did Mary see the Angel Gabriel physically, or was the Annunciation a mystical experience in her heart, perhaps at the bidding of Gabriel, but outside the natural realm of sense. St. John of the Cross and St. Teresa of Avila gave us hints into this phenomenon, wherein both stressed that the more the bodily senses are involved in a mystical experience (visions, locutions, etc.), the less like likely they are from God. Now. Remember, Mary was “full” of grace. When we talk about the depth of her faith and trust in normal terms, we do her a great injustice. She was totally, completely disposed to God with her whole being. Such a soul would be at the “top of Mt. Carmel” (as St. John of the Cross might put it), and would not need to actually have an angel physically appear (“Blest are they who do not see, but believe”) in order to ascertain God’s invitation that she become the mother of His Son. Again, that does not mean Gabriel did not enter her heart with the good news, but it’s when we simplify Mary’s faith to pedestrian terms that we seem to think it’s possible Satan was there tempting her, too. Now, Mary is full of grace, and experiencing this inner, mystical reality. Some have asked, why did Joseph receive his visitation of Gabriel in a dream? Well, Joseph is not described as “full of grace” in the way Mary is, but “just”. He, being a saintly man, also has no need of an external physical appearance of the angel to be aware of his calling. But he also does not possess the same spiritual perfection of Mary. So how does the angel come to him? He comes to Joseph in a dream. An internal calling, still the same.

Point is, if we are to believe the spiritual insights of John of the Cross and Teresa of Avila, there’s no way Joseph would have had an interior invitation, and Mary an external one. The most logical conclusion is that Mary received Gabriel in the contemplative state, Joseph in the sleeping state, and both impervious to the temptation of Satan during those events.