In the earliest letter ever written by St. Paul, namely the First Letter to the Thessalonians, Paul boldly proclaims that he fully expects to still be living when Jesus returns. He repeats that claim in his First Letter to the Corinthians. However, in his Second Letter to the Corinthians, Paul relates during his time in Ephesus, he was “utterly weighed down” by some affliction or other, so much so that he has accepted what he believes is a sentence of death. He is expecting the Roman Emperor to condemn him to death at any time.
We also need to consider to whom this letter is written. Philippi was a Roman settlement, built near the scene of a famous Roman triumph. It was populated by retired Roman soldiers. After serving in a Roman legion, the soldiers were given a small sum of gold and a parcel of land on which they could settle their families. When Paul came to Philippi and preached the Gospel of Jesus, a Gospel that taught them to love their neighbors, these retired soldiers proved very receptive of the Gospel message. After years of depending upon their fellow soldiers in battle, they understood what it meant to be concerned about the needs of others, particularly their fellow soldiers.
As he begins this letter, he lets the Church of Philippi know that he might not ever see them again. Our reading consists of the Apostle’s vivid meditation on the prospects of life and death. He is in a state of tension, pulled both ways. Whether he lives or dies, Paul is convinced that Christ will be honored in his body; that is, either by Paul’s labors for the gospel or by actual martyrdom. In either case, it is not Paul’s own personal salvation that is at stake. He does not simply want to escape from his labors into personal bliss with Christ; rather, he believes that his martyrdom will in some way contribute, perhaps even more effectively than his apostolic labors, to the fulfillment of God’s purpose in salvation history. “To live is Christ” — the great Pauline doctrine – does not mean simply the enjoyment of mystical communion between the believer and the Lord but the execution of the apostolic mission.
For Paul, union with Christ is what gives primary meaning to life. Living in Christ and with Christ and for Christ is uppermost in his mind. Paul believes that neither life nor death can separate him from Christ. Death might offer him the kind of union with Christ that he really desires, but it will probably not be as advantageous for others. Paul’s unselfish commitment to the welfare of his converts is clear.
This passage from the Letter to the Philippians merely draws the lines of the dilemma. It does not indicate if or how it was resolved. However, the final verse provides us with a hint of his final inclination. In it, Paul exhorts the Philippians to live lives that conform to the Gospel message he has preached. It lays bare his overriding concern for their spiritual well-being. Even when he is facing the possibility of his own death, when he is looking forward to ultimate union with Christ, Paul puts aside any thought of personal gain in favor of commitment to the service of others.
“Only, conduct yourselves in a way worthy of the gospel of Christ.” This statement is directed to the retired soldiers of the Roman army, but it also speaks to all men and women who have committed themselves to the Gospel. If September 20 were not a Sunday, we would be celebrating a feast in honor of the martyrs of Korea. The remarkable part of their story fits perfectly with St. Paul’s reflection on life and death, for these men and women came to the faith through the efforts of a layman, Yi Sung-hun, who had been exposed to the Gospel while traveling to advance his business. He brought the Gospel back to Korea after he had been baptized and began to catechize his fellow countrymen. His efforts put him in great danger, but he never turned his back on the faith. Today, Korea has embraced the Christian Gospel and is a thriving community of Catholic Christians because of the sacrifices of thousands of Korean martyrs. Our commitment to the faith must be as strong and as vital.
Fr. Lawrence Jagdfeld, O.F.M., Administrator