We are more than Conquerors.

Homily for June 19, 2017

The Christian life is a battle. We are in the world yet not of the world so the world hates us. In John 10:10, Jesus said: “The thief comes only to steal, to kill and to destroy.” Who is this thief and how does he operate in the life of Christians?

The thief is the devil and he comes to steal the inner peace and faith of Christians, he comes to frustrate us and make the keeping of God’s commandments appear so hard and almost impossible.

The devil comes to offer us suggestions on how to make our cross lighter and flow with the world, he comes to sell to us immorality, indecency, stealing, corruption and other vices in exchange for fake happiness that only leads to eternal punishment.

When we say “No” to him, then he attacks us from all sides. This is the experience of St. Paul in today’s first reading and he writes to further encourage us so that when we see such things happen in our life, we would not be carried away by emotions.

This battle is to be engaged in the spiritual realm and not in the physical. The mistake we tend to make is to try to fight from the physical forgetting that we do not wrestle with flesh and blood but against principalities and powers…

Many Christians engage in useless physical battles assuming their enemies are mere human beings, they keep malice with people, they insult people, gossip about them or try to fight them. Jesus teaches us this morning that there is no need for all that. He says:

“Do not resist the one who is evil. If anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the left, if anyone takes your coat, let him have your cloak as well. . .” Why? We are more than conquerors.

As St. Paul says: “We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing everything.” 2 Corinthians 6:8-10

Jesus himself has won the battle a long time ago, we fight now not as victims, but as victors so why do we have to employ emotions? We are triumphant already so our goal is not to wish for the death of our perceived enemies but to win them over to God.

Let us pray: Lord Jesus, I commend myself to you. Amen.

Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Monday of the 11^th Week in Ordinary Time. Bible Study: 2^nd Corinthians 6:1-10 and Matthew 5:38-42).