Word to the Wise
Tuesday, November 6, 2018 - Tuesday in the 31th Week in Ordinary Time
[Phil 2:5-11 and Luke 14:15-24]"Have among yourselves the same attitude that is also yours in Christ 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. [Philippians]
NOVEMBER 6 BL. ALPHONSUS NAVARRETE OP AND COMPANIONS, Dominican Martyrs in Japan
The quotation today is taken from St. Paul's famous Christological hymn in Philippians. It states the fundamental belief of Christianity. God became human for us in the person of Jesus Christ and gave his life for us in an ignominious way - by death on a cross and rose again from death.
A study of the history of Catholic theology will show that our belief in what Jesus did underwent considerable development and controversy until it was more or less "settled" in the fifth century. There were those who believed that Jesus was more than mortal but less than God. There were those who believed that Jesus was merely God in a human suit and really did not suffer and die on the cross - that it was only appearances. There were other variations as well. Many of them cited the above hymn as authority for their positions!
The phrase, "even death on a cross," shows that the form of Jesus' death was something of a scandal for early Christianity. Since that form of execution was reserved by the Romans for serious crimes and rebellion, how could someone executed in that way be a messiah and God? St. Paul sees that fact as simply part of Jesus' unjust execution by evil authorities.
The point of the hymn, however, is to urge the community at Philippi to avoid divisions and arguments and to have the self-sacrificing attitude of Jesus. The Dominican martyrs of Japan, whose memory our Dominican calendar celebrates today, could serve as an example, even if we may not suffer the same fate. The divisions in Christianity that endure to this day show that we still have work to do! AMEN