One would not be too far off the mark to consider that the Christian community of Philippi was one of St. Paul’s favorites. Their response to his preaching had led to the establishment of one of the more ideal communities in the early years of the Christian faith. That may have been because of the unique makeup of this community.
Philippi was a Roman community made up of retired soldiers. After serving their time in the Roman legions, soldiers were given a small monetary reward and a plot of land which most of them turned into farms or vineyards. The produce of these farms and vineyards would have been sufficient to support a man and his family.
These soldiers turned farmers would have brought with them the ethic that they had learned in the army; namely, survival in combat means relying upon one another, watching out for one another, protecting each other’s back. So when St. Paul came among them preaching a Gospel of love of God and love of one’s neighbor, the message fell on very receptive ears. Philippi became a community wherein the members of that community found concrete ways to take care of one another and to extend that care to the wider Christian community.
St. Paul’s letter to this community is actually made up of two or possibly three different missives written over a period of years as news of the community reached his ears while he traveled about Asia Minor. To say that he was pleased with their efforts would be an understatement at best as is evidenced by the many compliments he pays to them throughout the letter. Scripture scholars refer to this letter as Paul’s “Letter of Joy,” joy that is occasioned by the flowering of steadfast faith in the Gospel. These Gentile converts were St. Paul’s showcase, his success story.
While the reading we have today may seem like an exhortation to unity and like-mindedness, it really is more of a note of congratulations as they are already exhibiting the characteristics of which he speaks. It gives St. Paul an opportunity to sing of Gospel fraternity. It also gives him a platform in which to include an ancient hymn about Jesus which was used in their Eucharistic worship. It is the hymn of “kenosis,” of emptying oneself for the sake of others. Using the experience of Jesus who emptied himself for our sake, Paul sings of the reward that was Christ’s and will be ours if we walk in the footsteps of Jesus.
Before introducing the hymn, St. Paul’s appeals for unity within the Christian community using four pillars or points of reference. First, he speaks of the solace they have in their experience of Jesus, either as eyewitnesses or through the preaching of his disciples. Second, he speaks of the solace they find in the life of Jesus, replete with examples of extending mercy and compassion to all, even foreigners. Third, he speaks of the solace they find as they are bound to one another and to Jesus through the Spirit. Finally, St. Paul speaks of the solace they find in mercy and compassion and its binding force within the community of Philippi.
His appeal to unity is followed by the kenotic hymn of the One who divested himself of all the attributes of divinity for our sake, becoming one of us, accepting death, not just any death, but the death of a criminal. This is followed by being exalted by God, being worshipped by all, and receiving the title “Lord.” The hymn or poem involves three steps of downward movement of divestiture followed by three steps of exaltation.
The message is clear: the path to glory in God’s kingdom is found in attending to the needs of others before attending to one’s own needs. This notion is so radically different than the prevailing notions of Jesus’ time as well as our own, it might be considered insanity itself by not a few. Yet we must also remember that this letter, like others that Paul writes, is being written from prison where he is awaiting his execution. Paul has followed in the footsteps of Jesus by literally giving his life for the sake of the Gospel. He has sacrificed his life for others; now he urges the Philippians to do the same. He knows that their experience of life as soldiers probably included acts of heroism in which a man saved his fellow soldiers by giving his own. Even today, we award soldiers with medals of honor when they do such things.
Putting the needs of others before our own speaks of fidelity to the Christian vocation. Married men and women must think of the needs of their spouses and of their children before their own needs. Successful relationships of any kind, be they relationships of friendship, marriage or parenting, demand sacrificing our own wants and needs. Most of us can speak of parents who sacrificed for our sake. I am sure that those of you who are parents know of what I speak in the present.
The Gospel today asks us to consider not what we say we are going to do, but what we actually do. It is one thing to say that we will live as a community of brothers and sisters. It is quite another to actually do so. Each time we approach the table of the Lord to receive the body and blood of Jesus, we do so mindful of the fact that Jesus is our example of sacrifice for the other. We approach the altar with gratitude and with a resolve to follow that example.
Fr. Lawrence Jagdfeld, O.F.M., Administrator