“Jane” was besieged with thoughts of shame. These thoughts portrayed her entire life as one of dismal failure. She felt like she was diseased and disgusting. She could not imagine God or anyone else loving her or even wanting to look at her. She said, “I feel like walking shame.”

Jane is afflicted with a severe demonic obsession. It is more than simply the negative self-talk that so many of us have. Hers is exceptionally strong and it daily torments her. It pounds away at her brain seemingly without cease. At times, the shame overwhelms her thinking and emotionally paralyzes her.

True humility is rooted in the truth. Yes, we are all sinners. We are all guilty and have contributed to the crucifixion of Jesus. But this is not the same thing as shame. Shame attacks our sense of self and self-worth. We are made to think we are worthless. Some mystics say that the demons in hell torment the damned with such thoughts of shame. The demons pummel them with the charge that they are worthless and that God doesn’t care.

Despite our guilt and our sin, we are not worthless. Rather, we are made in God’s image and are thus of inestimable value. We are infinitely loved and our sins are forgiven. We are saved by Him. Thoughts of shame and self-denigration do not come from God.

With those pummeled by demonic obsessions of shame, I regularly go through repeated renunciations of the “demons of shame.” I lead them in saying: “I renounce the demons of shame. I reject them; I rebuke them; I renounce them. In Jesus’ name, I cast them out. In his holy name, I cast them out!”

It is also good for them to add: “I am a child of God and I am made beautiful in God’s image. I am infinitely loved by the Father.” I will then say, “May our loving God wrap his arms around you. May you know that you are infinitely loved. Know that you are willed into being by love from the first moment of your conception. You are called and destined for the Kingdom.”

This is my prayer for you all:

May you, too, know that you were lovingly willed into being from the first moment of your conception.

May the Father wrap his loving arms around you.

May you feel his warmth, his love, and his peace.

In the name of Jesus be healed.

In the name of Jesus, be at peace.

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*To see a video on the Demons of Shame and to pray with Msgr. Rossetti for liberation, see this video link or:

This post was originally posted on CatholicExorcism.org and is reprinted here with permission. 

Image: Depositphotos.