|
Christ said to His disciples: "In the world you shall have
distress; but have confidence, I have overcome the
world."[2195] St. Thomas says in explanation of this text:
"Christ overcame the world first of all by taking away its weapons of
attack; for these are its objects of concupiscence. The Evangelist
says: 'All that is in the world is the concupiscence of the flesh and
the concupiscence of the eyes and the pride of life' (I John
2:16). But Christ overcomes riches by poverty, for the
Psalmist says: ‘I am needy and poor’ (Ps. 85:1). And the
Evangelist: ‘The Son of man hath not where to lay His head'
(Luke 9:58). He overcame honor by humility, for Christ says:
‘Learn of Me, because I am meek and humble of heart’ (Matt.
II: 29). He overcame pleasures by suffering and hardship, for
the Apostle says of Him: ‘He humbled Himself, becoming obedient
unto death even to the death of the cross' (Phil.
2:8).[2196] This is the victory over sin gained principally
by Christ on the cross.
"Secondly, " says St. Thomas, "Christ overcame the world by
excluding the prince of this world, for He said: "Now shall the
prince of this world be cast out' (John 12:31); and St.
Paul says: "Despoiling the principalities and powers, He hath
exposed them confidently in open show, triumphing over them in
Himself' (Col. 2:15). From this He showed us how the devil
must be overcome by us..., so that after His passion young maidens
and boys, followers of Christ, deride the devil."[2197]
This twofold victory of Christ, namely, over sin and the devil, was
made manifest by the conversion of many pagans, and thus the following
words of Christ were verified: "and I, if I be lifted up from the
earth, will draw all things to Myself."[2198]
Christ's final and third victory is over death, which is the result
of sin; and this victory was clearly seen in His glorious resurrection
and ascension, and it will ultimately be manifested on the Judgment
Day by the resurrection of all the dead.
|
|
