How Christ and Satan Speak Before and After Sin | Bishop Fulton Sheen

About This Prayer

In this penetrating teaching, Bishop Fulton Sheen explains one of the most important spiritual truths for understanding temptation and overcoming evil: the radically different ways Christ and Satan approach the soul before and after sin. Before we sin, Our Lord stands before us as a loving warning—“thou shalt not”—showing us the Cross and calling us to crucify disordered desires for the sake of true freedom and holiness. By contrast, Satan approaches before sin as a deceiver, minimizing consequences and appealing to pride, pleasure, and conformity. He whispers that times have changed, that “everyone is doing it,” and that moral limits are outdated. Bishop Sheen reveals how recognizing these voices is essential for spiritual vigilance, moral clarity, and victory over temptation. This teaching equips Catholics to confront evil honestly and to choose Christ, who alone leads the soul to freedom and peace.