From the Friars: The Smell of Victory
Juan Soto, an outfielder for the New York Mets, recently signed a 15-year, $765 million contract. That works out to about $89,000 every time he goes up to bat. People want to win and they are willing to pay for the thrill of victory. Some contests are for much higher stakes than a sports championship. The proposed 2025 U. S. defense budget is $850 billion. War is a life-or-death struggle, not only for individual combatants but sometimes for entire nations. Winning becomes a literally do or die proposition.
In the eerie classic Vietnam War film ‘Apocalypse Now’, Robert Duvall plays Colonel Kilgore, an apparently fearless air cavalry officer who calls in a napalm strike to clear a beach of enemy fire so that he can go surfing. Kilgore seems to enjoy the chaos and carnage of war, and as the nearby jungle erupts in flames, he utters his famous line: “I love the smell of napalm in the morning, … it smells like – victory.”
Today we celebrate the Victory of all victories by the Champion of all champions. Our Lord Jesus Christ has conquered the ultimate enemies of sin and death and has risen gloriously from the dead. Years ago, at an Easter morning Mass I was struck by the fragrance of the many lilies in the chapel and Colonel Kilgore came to mind. But now the line became: “I love the smell of lilies on Easter morning, it smells like – victory.”
Jesus Resurrected
Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil. (1Jn3:8) Paradoxically, His Victory frees us not only from death but also from slavery to addiction to worldly victories. Be they Super Bowls, World Series or fleeting earthly empires, the Risen Savior’s Glory outshines all as bright sunlight makes a lit candle insignificant. And His weapon is love, love of the Father and every person made in His image and likeness.
May our natural desire for the glory of victory be refocused on the Eternal Victory.
Remember the holy trash talk of Saint Paul: “O death, where is your victory? O death where is your sting? … but thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1Cor15:55)
Happy Easter. Alleluia!
Fr. Peter