1. Promises
Through her flame of Love, Our Lady promises to blind Satan. Elizabeth Kindelmann, the Secular Carmelite and widowed mother of six through whom Jesus and Mary initiated the Flame of Love Movement, records some experiences of seeing Satan blinded. On one occasion, she commanded him to listen to her (a painful experience for him). Even more, on another occasion, she saw all the little devils unable to act because they were receiving no orders. Their blinded leader had nothing to say.

This little talk tries to explain what it means to blind Satan and how important this is.

2. Jesus Drives Out Satan
The gospels constantly state that Jesus visited many towns, driving out Satan and preaching the Kingdom. The two activities are deeply connected. If Satan holds someone in his power, Jesus’ words have no effect. It is like showing a movie to a blind man.

This “blinding of Satan” frees souls so they can respond to God’s graces. Because the world is filled with evil, people are unable to respond to God’s grace. People’s thoughts and feelings are blocked by Satan. When he is blinded, he loses his powers and the person experiences a freedom to say “yes” to God.

3. How Does Satan Gain His Power?
Satan needs an entrance, some door or window that has been opened to him. This happens primarily by sin. By each sin, the person falls more into Satan’s grasp. By each confession of sins, the person moves out of Satan’s control. (Sins involving the occult put people more directly under Satan’s power.)

Today, our culture and society are filled with the demonic. People are not free to respond to God’s grace. The “Blinding of Satan”, through this devotion is extremely important.

4. Widespread Unbelief
Decades ago, everybody believed. Now, large masses of people (especially the young who have been subjected to this darkness), have little faith in the world of Jesus. Large numbers of people no longer see the need for Sunday mass. Every commandment is challenged and broken. People have no personal inclination for the supernatural. All of this is Satan’s work. Satan has covered over Jesus’ world. When he is blinded, people will see again and be free to respond.

5. Evangelism Efforts
Our efforts at evangelization yield little fruit because Satan makes people deaf to the gospel. Satan places an invisible wall around people’s minds and hearts. The gospel cannot penetrate. God’s graces become like water off a duck’s back. They never enter the heart because Satan is not blinded. When Satan is blinded and he loses his powers, the gospel will penetrate again.

6. The Denial of Satan

Satan’s greatest ploy is to get people to deny that he exists or that he plays a very small role in human life. But Satan is everywhere. Wherever there is an addiction, Satan is there. Wherever there is great suffering in relationships, Satan is there. When a person goes off the track and walks away from God, Satan is there. His fingerprints are everywhere and “blinding Satan” is a great gift, won for the Church and the world by the Flame of Love devotion.