“The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil” (1 Jn 3:8).
One of the most evil works of the fallen angels is to distort the image of God, our Father. Even in Paradise, the serpent questioned God’s good intentions:
“Did God say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree of the garden’?”
And then he lied to Eve, who initially wanted to keep the word of the Lord and not eat of the forbidden tree:
“You will not die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil” (Gen 3:1,4-5).
Here we can already see the outlines of how the devil wants to destroy the loving trust between God and man: by lying, by insinuating false intentions on God’s part, as if He were withholding something important from man.
This attitude of mistrust has penetrated deep into souls, distorting the image of God in them. Added to this is a completely unjustified fear of God, which makes it difficult for us to place our whole lives in His loving hands.
But what does Jesus tell us by His coming into the world and by His words?
“God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (Jn 3:16).
“Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap (…) and yet your heavenly Father feeds them” (Mt 6:26).
“Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well” (Mt 6:33).
“In my Father’s house are many rooms” (Jn 14:2).
“Your heavenly Father knows that you have need of all these things” (Mt 6:32).
“It is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish” (Mt 18:14).
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem (…) How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings” (Mt 23:37).
Let us simply look to the Lord, who tells us: “He who has seen me has seen the Father” (Jn 14:9). Then all the deceptions of the devil are dispelled and the true face of the Father shines forth in His Son.