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Once we distinguish between act and will, this argument falls apart. At most, force can prevent the acts of the will from realization, but it cannot force the will itself (e.g., although you could prevent my arm from moving by amputating it, you can't force my will for such in any interior way). You're also confusing different senses of humility: one, as a virtue, the other, as a circumstance. It's impossible to have a virtuous disposition forced upon us. Beggars, as well as kings, can lack the virtue of humility. With this in mind, as it is within the will that we live virtuously or sinfully, even the lowliest man can still imitate Christ's kingship. Here, Christ's restraint is an effect of obedience. We must, as did Christ, deny ourselves to conform our will to God's. And this submission perfects, not destroys, our will. The Jews were scandalized by Christ's revelation because they were expecting a worldly king, a Messiah to liberate them from foreign subjugation. Christ came to liberate us from a far worse danger, sin, which, by overcoming, we truly imitate Him.


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