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The Savior Himself announced this second victory, when He said
shortly before His passion: "Now is the judgment of the world; now
shall the prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted
up from the earth, will draw all things to Myself., (Now this He
said, signifying what death He should die.)"[2209]
Immediately before, when Christ asked His Father to glorify His
name, a voice from heaven was heard to say: "I have both glorified
it, and will glorify it again,"[2210] which means, I will
again glorify My Son in His passion whereby He will triumph over the
devil, in His resurrection and ascension, and in the conversion of
the whole world.[2211] The devil no longer controls the wills of
men who are free from sin; he still tempts them, but does not reign
over them.
Likewise the Evangelist says: "He that committeth sin is of the
devil, for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the
Son of God appeared, that He might destroy the works of the devil.
In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the
devil."[2212]
And St. Paul says: "God... hath quickened I you] together
with Him [Christ], forgiving you all offenses; blotting out the
handwriting of the decree that was contrary to us, and He hath taken
the same out of the way, fastening it to the cross, and despoiling the
principalities and powers, He hath exposed them confidently in open
show, triumphing over them in Himself."[2213] This means that
Christ by His passion has freed us from sin, the punishment of sin,
and the slavery of the devil. In former times almost the whole world
served idols; now the devil no longer thus reigns; and although he
still attacks the just, we have a most powerful help in Christ.
Hence the Apostle says: "Finally, brethren, be strengthened in
the Lord and in the might of His power. Put you on the armor of
God, that you may be able to stand against the deceits of the
devil."[2214]
St. John announces the persecution of the dragon against the woman,
and of Antichrist against the Church;[2215] but the triumph of
the good and the condemnation of the wicked is foretold.[2216]
Finally, from the seventh chapter there is a description of God's
last judgment, the fall of Babylon, the jubilation in heaven, the
triumph of Christ over Antichrist and Satan.[2217] On the
garment of the Word of God is written: "King of kings, and Lord
of lords."[2218] Satan is definitely conquered, the dead rise
again and are judged; there is a new Jerusalem, and Christ renders
to everyone according to his works, saying: "I am Alpha and
Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end. Blessed
are they that wash their robes in the blood of the Lamb, that they may
have a right to the tree of life, and may enter in by the gates into
the city,"[2219]
Long ago the prophet had seen an immense and splendid statue whose feet
of clay were destroyed "by a stone cut out of the mountains without
hands... but the stone that struck the statue became a great mountain
and filled the whole earth,"[2220] says the prophet. He
explains this vision, by saying that this statue represents various
kingdoms, "but in the days of those kingdoms, the God of heaven will
set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed... and it shall stand
forever."[2221]
Christ is declared "the stone which the builders rejected, the same
is made the head of the corner."[2222] By His humility and
passion He overcame the pride of the devils. Hence St. Paul says:
"But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews indeed a stumbling
block and unto the Gentiles foolishness. But unto them that are
called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the
wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and
the weakness of God is stronger than men,"[2223] Again he
says: "Christ humbled Himself, becoming obedient unto death, even
to the death of the cross. For which cause God hath exalted Him,
and hath given Him a name which is above all names. That in the name
of Jesus every knee should bow, of those that are in heaven, on
earth, and under the earth. And that every tongue should confess that
the Lord Jesus Christ is in the glory of God the
Father."[2224] This victory of Christ over the devil is
sometimes sensibly and vividly manifested in exorcism, especially where
these words are said: "Christ, the eternal Word of God made
flesh, who for our salvation, which was lost by thy envy, humbled
Himself, becoming obedient unto death, commands thee, unclean
spirit."[2225]
In the language of theology, however, Christ's victory over the
devil implies victory over sin as previously established, and the
consequence of this, namely, victory over death, immediately to be
discussed. From what has been said, it is already certain, as St.
Thomas said, that "Christ's passion frees us from sin, inasmuch as
it causes forgiveness of sins by way of redemption,"[2226] and
"by Christ's passion man was delivered from the devil's power so far
as Christ's passion is the cause of the forgiveness of sins...
inasmuch as it reconciled us with God."[2227]
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