In today's first reading, Phil 2: 5-11, S.Paul users us to put on the attitude of Jesus, 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, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross."
Jesus took on humanity, our humanity! Jesus left heaven, emptying Himself and becoming our slave. He worked Himself to the bone, so to speak, taking on and destroying death for our sakes. Nothing was too much for Jesus to show us the depth, the breadth, the height and the length of God's love for us. As St. Paul says to the Philippians, Jesus, the second person of the Blessed Trinity, did "not regard equality with God" something to which He had to cling! He chooses humility. He chooses littleness. He chooses total dependence, as any infant, upon His mother and foster father Joseph! God, the Creator of heaven and earth, totally dependent for all of His needs upon a teenage mother, whom He Himself created and sustained in her existence! He did not bulk. He did not sulk! He did not rebel! He humbly submitted to Mary and Joseph! Not only that! At the age of 33, He humbly submitted to those who rebelled against Him and had Him crucified like a notorious, despised criminal!
St. Paul begins this passage to the Philippians by asking each of us to have "the same attitude" that is ours "in Christ Jesus." What attitude? A humble, obedient one by which we do not consider it necessary to cling to glory or significant positions of honor and power, being above others! We are asked to let go of entitlements, as Jesus did, and assume positions of humility, submission, and obedience to a High Power at work within our lives!
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