Thought for the Day on the Second Reading (Phil 2:1-11)
Paul asks to make our own the mind of Jesus (Phil 2:5), in other words, to have the same attitude as Jesus. Whatever was the attitude of Jesus, that is also to be our attitude, Paul tells us. What was the attitude of Jesus? Paul goes on to give one example in the remainder of today’s reading: Jesus’ humility. Jesus was God but emptied himself, lowering himself to become human. As Paul describes Jesus’ humility, it is like going downstairs. The first step down is Jesus becoming human. The next step down is Jesus dying. The final and lowest step down is the type of death Jesus accepted, death on a cross.
It was completely shocking that Jesus allowed himself to die on a cross. Palestine was part of the Roman Empire then and crucifixion was the form of capital punishment the Romans inflicted on criminals. Crucifixion was so brutal that the Romans did not inflict it on Roman citizens, only on non-citizens.
Paul continues: the Father raised up Jesus in his resurrection and gave him the name above all other names. What is that name? At the end of today’s reading Paul tells us every tongue should acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord (Phil 2:11). That is the name: Jesus Christ as Lord, the Lord Christ. That is why Paul says all beings in the heavens, on earth, and in the underworld should bend the knee at the name of Jesus (Phil 2:10). The name of Jesus is so sacred, in Paul’s mind, that every knee should bend at Jesus’ name and declare Jesus Christ as Lord. Compare that with the misuse of the name of Jesus that we hear all around us and on TV.
From www.frtommylane.com
Photo by Grant Whitty on Unsplash
Jesus Christ As Lord