0917 Reflection -- Philippians 2:5-11

Upcoming Sunday Epistle Readings

Patronal Feast of

The Exultation of the Holy Cross

Sunday 17 September 2017

Transferred from 14 September

Philippians 2:5-11

Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death — even death on a cross. Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

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This, we are told, is actually a hymn of the early Church that speaks of Christ and is the song of praise of the Church to Christ.  Death by crucifixion was one of the worst deaths imaginable, if not the worst.  And yet Christ, true God, submitted to this suffering and death, and by this death defeated death.  What was meant for shame is transformed into that moment in time from which Jesus is revealed as God Emmanuel, God among us.  And when the fullness of that revelation will be known, the hymn states, everyone will bow in acknowledgement of the true identity of him who conquered death by death, even by the death of the cross.

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Father Timothy Alleman