Reading 2 Phil 2:6-11
Brothers and sisters: Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross. Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Reflection
"Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross."
Today we celebrate the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. Saint Helena, who was the mother of the Roman Emperor Constantine, wanted to find the Cross on which Jesus died. It is said that there were three crosses found near the Temple of Aphrodite. The way they determined which Cross was the one Jesus died on, was by having a woman with an incurable disease touch the wood and she was healed. Emperor Constantine had the Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher built where the Cross was found. Last September, PAPA had a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. We were able to go to the Holy Sepulcher and see where the Cross was said to have been raised. There is a hole in the ground were you can pray and meditate on the life and death of Jesus.
In the second reading for today, from Philippians, St. Paul writes to the congregation in Philippi, teaching them about Jesus. This teaching from St. Paul is a lot for us to take in and chew on. This person, Jesus, who is God, but did not regard equality with God something to be grasped, is a statement that seems to almost contradict itself, but as you read on it makes so much sense. This passage definitely goes against everything this world teaches us.
I remember in school, if we wanted to get on any team, we had to try out, which meant we had to do better than others to get a spot on the team. It seamed like everything was a competition. (Not that competition is bad.). This is our world that we live in, even in the the corporate world there are people who will do all they can to be at the top. Then we have television, computers, cell phones, social media all have some type of advertisements that bombard our lives with what the standard of living is suppose to look like, what things are suppose to be most important to us in this world. I can see how things of this world can be our god. There are many things that can take us away from God.
Here in this reading, we hear about Jesus emptying Himself, humbling Himself, and being obedient even to death. How does a person get ahead in this world by doing any of these things? If this is what Jesus is modeling, is this what He wants for us also? There is so much to meditate on for today and really bring into our hearts. Lord Jesus please help us to follow your ways.
