The Battleground | Reflections from Rome 2021

In the places where the saints lived and prayed, a spirit of peace reigns. It’s palpable. You can feel the rest, the joy, the delight of places where so many battles have been won. But who won those battles? Who fought them?

The model of the war of the spirit with the flesh is helpful, but only to a certain point. We are truly at war with the world, the flesh, and the devil, that cannot be denied. But who are we?

In baptism, we are incorporated into Christ. The Father looks upon us and sees His Son. His Incarnation is made present in us, in relationship with Him. “Christian, remember your dignity”: you are Jesus!

We can only wage this war, then, in Christ. Put another way, these are Christ’s battles. We are only the battleground. The homes and churches of the saints are places of victory, yes, but of Christ’s victory over death in each man or woman. We stand in awe of the innumerable graces Jesus has poured into the world through those victories, as experienced and embraced by the saints we venerate.

Let yourself be a battleground. Let Jesus wage war in your heart. Don’t stop at fighting “with His help,” but truly in Him! We’ve never lost a battle He’s been allowed to fight, and He won’t stop until He’s taken back every inch of territory from the enemy. May we one day, like the saints, bathe in the glory of His victory in our souls!

Benedict Radich
Archdiocese of Washington D.C.