Pauline Reflections 10 - 1st November 2008

PAUL’S PLEA FOR HUMILITY
PHILIPPIANS 2:3-11

Acts 16 recounted the missionary work of Paul and Silas in Philippi, a Roman colony in Macedonia. Unfortunately, the Church in Philippi had a problem with personal relationships, caused especially by pride. Some simply considered themselves better than others: they dominated in their positions of leadership and oppressed others with their sense of superiority,  making them look inferior.  

We can recall that the disciples of Jesus, who sometimes argued among themselves about who was the greatest, also displayed the desire for prestige and positions of honour and leadership. Once Jesus asked them: “What were you arguing about on the way? But they remained silent. They had been discussing among themselves on the way who was the greatest” Mark 9:33-34 Even James and John, the sons of Zebedee, did the same when they made a request to sit on the right and the left side of Jesus in his kingdom. 

Such an attitude, if not controlled, can bring about a spirit of manipulation and dominance of others, which in turn can destroy the unity of a community of faith and fellowship. Who would deny that our own community still grapples with this trend today?  

So Paul pleaded with the Philippians and to all Christians today, to give up this selfish attitude. “Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory” 2:3. He exhorts us to be humble instead and to consider others better than ourselves “rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves” 2:3 and finally he calls us to be imitators of Christ: “Who, 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, being born in human form; and he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross.” 2: 6-8 

Kenosis in 2:7 is from a Greek word for emptiness. This word is a very important theological term in understanding Jesus (Christology) who made himself nothing, becoming entirely receptive to God and to his will. It also refers to the mystery of the incarnation, God becoming man, to suffer and die for mere mortals bringing us redemption. 

Jesus was God in his own right,  but he never used his exalted position to exploit or manipulate others; instead he emptied himself and took a servant's role of service and leadership to his death on a cross. After which came the final victory: "God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is the Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” 2: 9-11. 

 
Prayer 

Lord Jesus, remove pride from my life. Grant me the grace to live in peace with all those around me and make me willing to serve as you did. Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart like yours. Amen.