Today’s second reading from St. Paul’s letter to the
Philippians probably sounds very familiar to all of us. We hear the second part
of this reading every year on Palm Sunday.
It is probably one of the most well-known passages from St Paul’s
letters. Many biblical scholars believe
that Paul adapted these words from an ancient hymn in the early Church. The contrasts that Paul points out in this
reading are striking: Jesus was divine, but he took on human likeness; those
both in heaven and on earth are to bend their knee to honor Jesus; and in the
humiliation that Jesus suffered in his death on the cross, he gained for us
victory over sin, and through this humiliation, he has earned our
exaltation.
Contrasts are such a big part of our faith. I was just remarking to some parishioners the
other day that the cross is always an essential part of the story of
Jesus. Sure, we celebrate our salvation
and our victory over sin, but without Christ’s journey to the cross and without
his death for our sins, there is no resurrection and no eternal life. These contrasts are part of our baptism in
Christ as well, as we die with Christ in the waters of baptism, and rise with
Christ to new life in those same waters.
May the words of St Paul touch our
hearts today and help us to understand the reality of Christ in which we place
our trust and faith.
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