As Christ prepares His disciples for His passion and death, His followers still do not quite grasp the reality of Jesus’ teachings. They are still thinking like men, motivated by their ambitions of position and power. They have not yet risen above earthly wisdom to the true wisdom that comes from God.
The apostles still expect an earthly kingdom, but the real nature of Christ’s kingdom is spiritual, not political or military. The victory of Christ is a victory over the hearts of His people. That is how we can say that Christ’s sacrifice on the cross was a triumph.
When we accept the Kingdom of God into our hearts, we accept self-denial. We no longer do things according to our will; we give ourselves completely over to the will of God. This is the true battle Christ fought and died for. It is a battle between God’s eternal wisdom and the selfishness of our fallen human nature. The battlefield is the human heart and the prize is our immortal soul. Jesus endured the pain of that struggle and triumphed over it, winning our redemption.
To take part in that victory we must abandon our sense of self and commit fully to God. We must give up our selfish motivations and desires, and recognize that every good and perfect gift comes from above. Then we will see that all our gifts and abilities and accomplishments are given to us to be used in His service and for His greater glory.
Pax Vobiscum
25th sunday in Ordinary Time