Padre Salas by Enrique Laso Read Free Book Online Page B

exorcist neither could, nor should, confront a demon whilst afraid, since such panic meant two things: firstly, that he had doubts regarding the possibility of vanquishing the aforementioned malign entity, and secondly, that one could not trust blindly in the help and the power of God being enough to guarantee success. The priest now had many exorcisms under his belt, certainly over a hundred, and in all of them he had managed to liberate the possessed, but each one of them had come at a price, and he had always ended up weakened. He felt the deep wounds from having performed so many difficult rituals, which on occasion had required superhuman strength, and which had left their mark not only on his memory, but also his very faith. He knew that God was not that powerful, and that whilst Satan and his neighbours were not his equals in energy, they were not far behind. And whilst there was only one God, there were many demons: all of which were very dangerous. Just as Padre Rincón was now learning at his side, many years ago he had been a disciple to a great exorcist, who had taught him a terrifying lesson: the angels don’t come to the aid of the priest who practices exorcism; one stands alone against the demons, and the priests’ most powerful weapon was their own faith.
    “Are you tired?” asked Padre Rincón, entering the office of the warehouse that the Archdiocese of Guadalajara had given them for the ritual.
    “Yes, I’m exhausted. You are young, strong, and have an unbreakable faith. You’re being a great help to me, and I can see you being an outstanding exorcist.”
    “I appreciate your words enormously. But right now I’m worried about your health; you seem really worn out.”
    “I am, but those little girls can’t wait. In spite of everything, their weak bodies could also do with a short break.”
    “It’s Beelzebub, isn’t it?”
    “I don’t understand,” replied Padre Salas, confused.
    “I mean that it’s so difficult to expel this demon because we’re dealing with Beelzebub. You told me, the day you realised that it was he who had possessed the girls, that this demon had spoken to you in the Aramaic that you feared.”
    “Yes, that’s true. But forget it. You must not fear the demons, Padre Rincón, or you will never get to be the exorcist that I hope you will become.”
    “But you, however, respect them.”
    “Beelzebub entered into me, on one particular occasion, many years ago, and even though I got off lightly, it had its consequences. It’s the risk we take as exorcists. That is why I retired away to a little church in Coyoacán. I just wanted to dedicate myself to a handful of people who needed me, and to be in direct and permanent contact with God.”
    “And is that the very reason why Beelzebub resisted your orders so much?”
    “No, Padre Rincón. That’s what’s got me puzzled. Beelzebub entered into those girls’ bodies in a strange way. It had to have been through a ritual that I’ve never faced before, and that is why I’m having so many difficulties. The problem is not the demon. The real obstacle is the way in which Beelzebub took possession of the girls.”
    “So, to carry out an exorcism, it’s important to know the root cause of the possession, then?”
    “I would say that in many cases it’s indispensible. Right now, we’re a little lost.”
    “We could visit Valeria, the girl who was saved. Perhaps she could give us some information.”
    “I’ve thought about it, but I want to give that family some breathing space. Beelzebub was cruel with the mother, and I don’t want to provoke his rage with any faux pas. If something bad has to happen, I want his fury to fall on us.”
    Both clergymen remained in silence, reflecting. Padre Salas tried everything to soothe his nerves and catch his breath, whilst Padre Rincón tried to transmit his impregnable faith and strength to his companion. They must have been meditating there for at least an hour when somebody