May We Hate Satan and Those Who Do His Work?

To hate means to will evil for another person. But to will evil for another person is directly contrary to charity. Since we’re called to be charitable, it follows that we can never hate any person, including the devil. Just as God does not wish that any should perish (2 Pet. 3:9), we too cannot desire or rejoice in the eternal destruction of any intelligent being.

However, this doesn’t mean we can’t hate the devil’s actions. As St. Paul writes, “Hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good” (Rom. 12:9).