“You ask what is our aim? I can answer in one word: Victory. Victory at all costs. Victory in spite of all terror. Victory however long and hard the road may be. For without victory there is no survival.” ~ Winston Churchill
When young adults today hear 9-11, they are brought back immediately to the events that took place that day. They remember the number of deaths, the destruction, and the shutdown of our national air space for a number of days. They think about the lives that were changed in a heartbeat and think of the day as a passing of their innocence. September 11th will never be the same for them again.
We who are a bit older have the same kind of experience when we come upon December 7th. On this day, we recall the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii that brought us into the midst of a world war. The number of lives lost that day and the carnage of the destroyed vessels changed a nation and its people. It was a loss-of-innocence moment for many that day and the days immediately following.
After these two events, people engaged in an effort to fight against their identified enemies. Many enlisted in the military in order to join the fight. Everyone had one thing in mind: victory. The fight after both these events was fierce and took many more lives. The struggles still remain for many people.
When we engage in any battle or any friendly competition, for that matter, we engage for the purpose of winning. No one who is asked if they want to play a game responds that they would just love to lose. No. When we play, we play to win. When we fight, we fight to be victorious.
In many ways, we are in a life-or-death spiritual battle. We fight against sin on a daily basis. We want to be victorious so that we may one day get to heaven. As we continue our Advent journey, let us redouble our efforts so that we may stay true to our mission and remain fixed on the road that leads to the Kingdom.
FAITH ACTION: Pray for the strength of will necessary to keep focused on the goal that lies ahead so that you may be victorious in your fight over sin and the lures of the world.