Growing up I used to believe that some scriptural phenomenon were just part of the Biblical version of the olden days – nothing to worry about in “modern” times. Persecution for example. Since the Romans were long gone, there didn’t seem to be much of a threat. Certainly no one was in any imminent danger of being thrown to the lions.
 
Jesus’ words in John 15:18: “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you,” sure didn’t seem to apply in the 20th century. After all, who hated Christians?
Boy was I ever young, naïve, and uneducated.
 
In the last several decades mankind has certainly made up for lost time – developing whole new ways to persecute God’s people.

 
I used to think the same thing about exorcism. I mean no one believes that old stuff about casting out demons anymore – well, maybe Hollywood, when they need a really creepy-scary plot. Actually that classic head-spinner, “The Exorcist,” wasn’t Tinsel Town fiction, it was based on an entirely true story.

 
There really are exorcists. And lately they’ve really been busy.
 

The National Catholic Register reported on a Catholic Renewal convention held last year in Anaheim, CA which featured several exorcism experts as speakers ~

“There is a greater need for exorcism because there is a greater frequency of the practices of the occult, New Age and Satanism, both on the part of Catholics and other people alike,” (Fr. Gary Thomas, Sacred Heart Church, Saratoga, CA) said.
Conference speakers explained that people begin experimenting with other traditions and rituals, often simply out of curiosity. They don’t realize that they are, at the same time, losing their spiritual center and turning away from God.

 
The exorcists were quick to clarify though, that most of the people who come to see them are not necessarily possessed ~

“Spiritually speaking, they don’t need an exorcist. They need their parish priest; they need a spiritual director,” (Father Jeffrey Grob, exorcist for the Archdiocese of Chicago) said. “They need someone who will get them back in the practice of their faith — bring them back to reality.”

[Deliverance perhaps?]

 
Father Gabriele Amorth, the Catholic Church’s chief exorcist (and author of “An Exorcist Tells his Story”), does see a growing need for exorcisms, and wants Pope Francis to allow all priests to start performing the ritual ~

Father Gabriele Amorth, 88, who also heads the International Association of Exorcists, told The Sunday Times that he will ask Pope Francis to allow all priests the right to do exorcisms without the church’s approval. According to the report, priests currently need special approval from their bishop to perform the rite and it is rarely granted.
 
“I will ask the pope to give all priests the power to carry out exorcisms, and to ensure priests are properly trained for these starting with the seminary. There’s a huge demand for them.”

 
In his ’99 book Fr. Amorth explained why he believes this to be the case ~

Even if this battle against Satan concerns all men and all times, there is no doubt that Satan’s power is felt more keenly in periods of history when the sinfulness of the community is more evident. For example, when I view the decadence of the Roman Empire, I can see the moral disintegration of that period in history. Now we are at the same level of decadence, partly as a result of the misuse of the mass media (which are not evil in themselves) and partly because of Western consumerism and materialism, which have poisoned our society.

 
Persecution and possession…
Not to mention moral decay and the breakdown of civil society – Is there any doubt that the devil and his evil influence is rapidly gaining ground these days?
 
We who Believe, are comforted knowing how the story finally ends. But getting there may not exactly be a walk in the park.

Related:
Three Characteristics of the Diabolical, And How they Are Manifest in the Modern World ~ Explaining how Satan’s “handiwork” can be easily identified in contemporary Western civilization.