A Homily on Matthew 11:11- 15 : Conquering Oneself (11-12-25)

A Reflection on Matthew 11:11 to 15, calling us to enter God’s Kingdom by conquering our inner battles.(11-12-25)

Praise be to Jesus Christ

There was once a young man who wanted to climb a tall hill near his village. From below, the hill looked beautiful. Many people admired it, but no one tried to climb it because the path was steep and dangerous. One morning, the young man decided that he would try. After a few steps he felt tired and returned. After a few days he tried again and after some time he gave up. His friends discouraged him and said that climbing the hill would risk his life. But he kept saying to himself that one day he would reach the top, so he would keep trying. After each failure he felt something new growing inside him. It was as if a small inner strength was waking up. He began to understand that the real hill was not only outside. The real hill was inside his heart, made of fear and doubt. So he tried once more. This time he refused to listen to discouraging voices. Step by step he climbed. The path was still hard, but his heart was stronger, and at last he reached the top with deep joy. The hill did not change. What changed was his courage to keep fighting against negativity and his own tiredness.

This small story helps us understand what Jesus says today. The Kingdom of Heaven has suffered violence and the violent take it by force. Jesus is not speaking about fighting against other people. He is speaking about fighting against ourselves. The real battle is not outside. The real battle is inside our hearts. We must fight against our ego, our jealousy, our pride, our anger, our laziness, our selfish desires. These are the enemies that keep us far from God.

Every saint did this inner battle. Saint Paul said I fight the good fight. Saint Augustine said that before he met God he had to fight long against his desires. Saint Teresa of Avila said that the greatest war is the war inside the soul. None of them fought with swords. They fought with prayer, discipline, humility, patience and love. That is why they reached the top of the hill of holiness.

In the first reading from Isaiah, God tells us Do not fear. I will help you. God is like a loving father who holds our hand while we climb this hill. He knows that the inner fight is not easy. He knows that pride and jealousy can pull us down. He knows that anger can rise suddenly like a wave. He knows that greed can whisper sweet words to our heart. But He also knows that if we hold His hand, He will help us win the battle within.

Jesus gives us the example of John the Baptist. John did not wear soft clothes. He lived a simple life. He controlled his desires. He put God first. His greatness came from his inner strength. He conquered himself. That is why Jesus calls him the greatest among those born of women. But Jesus also tells us that even the least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than John.  And this means that God invites all of us to this greatness, if we choose to fight the inner fight.

In our families this inner fight is very important. Sometimes we get angry easily. Sometimes our words hurt others. Sometimes jealousy enters our relationships. Sometimes we hold on to our ego and refuse to say sorry. The Kingdom of God grows in our homes only when we fight against these things. It is not enough to pray if our heart is full of pride. It is not enough to light candles if we refuse to forgive. Real holiness begins when we conquer ourselves.

Advent is the time to begin again. Jesus is coming. He wants to find hearts that have fought the good fight. He wants to enter homes where peace is valued more than ego. He wants to enter lives where love has conquered jealousy. Let us choose one simple word from the Gospel. Strive. Let this be our promise. I will strive to conquer my ego and to open my heart to God.

Lord Jesus, give me strength to fight the battle within. Amen

⇒If you find this reflection meaningful and fruitful, please share it with others

The Team Search offers retreats, reflections, and classes for religious and others on various biblical themes, the Eucharist, prayer, spiritual direction, Missiology, English phonetics (basic & advanced), Mariology, the Sacraments, the Desert Fathers, and more. We are happy to assist you if you find it hard to get a resource person for any Christian topic.

♦Contact: thesearch1994@gmail.com

God Bless…