Philippians 3:4b – 14 / Psalm 126 / John 12:1- 8
This is the homily given at St. John’s, Huntingdon, Pennsylvania
by Fr. Gene Tucker on Sunday, April 3, 2022.
“THE GREATEST AND MOST-CENTRAL REALITY”
(Homily
text: Philippians 3:4b – 14)
Many,
if not most, people have some sort of an organizing principle or reality in
their lives, something that gives shape (and hopefully, meaning) to other aspects
of life. For example, for some, it might be their work or their profession. For
others, it might be a hobby or some other recreational or leisure activity. For
still others, it might be family or a group of friends.
For
St. Paul, that central reality, that organizing principle, is Jesus Christ.
In
today’s reading from his letter to the Philippians[1], he
tells us just how important his relationship to Christ is. He says that his
religious pedigree (that is, his past in Judaism) is “rubbish”[2]. It means
nothing to him now. It certainly doesn’t form any sort of a platform for him to
try to reach higher toward God.
Notice
the language he employs: “I strain, I press on”, he says, toward the “upward
call of God in Christ Jesus”.
Notice
Paul’s use of the word “call”. For Paul’s reality began with a call from the
Lord, the one who, as Paul made his way on the road to Damascus, saw a bright
light and heard the Lord saying, “Saul, Saul[3], why
are you persecuting me?” In response, Paul replied, “Who are you, Lord?” The
Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.” [4]
Paul’s
relationship with the Lord began with the Lord’s call to him. It wasn’t,
certainly, the other way around…for Paul recognized that his attempts to find
favor with God through his own efforts, through his own scrupulous adherence to
the requirements of the Law of Moses (Torah), didn’t amount to anything. That
past, he says, is “rubbish”.
We
surely get the idea that Paul’s relationship with Christ overshadows any other
reality in his life. We get the idea that Paul’s relationship with Christ
colors all other ingredients in and parts of his life. His whole life is
organized around knowing Christ and making Christ known to others.
Paul’s
call to know Christ and to make Christ known is a marvelous Lenten theme. For
in Lent, we are called to examine all areas of our lives, in order to see just
how each area relates to our love relationship with God in Christ. Each area of
life is subject to God’s call to us. Each area of life is subject to a
reshaping in order to bring it into alignment with God’s call to holiness.
We
might put ourselves in Paul’s shoes, in order to pick up the mirror, look
ourselves squarely in the face, and ask, “How is my life organized around my
relationship with Christ?”
After
all, there can be no higher calling, no more central concern, no more important
question to be answered than that one.
AMEN.
[1] Many biblical scholars think that Paul’s letter to the Philippians was
the last letter he wrote. It’s possible that he composed this letter during his
time of house arrest in Rome, perhaps about the year 62 AD, some two years
before his martyrdom.
[2] Some translations render Paul’s statement by saying that he counts them
as “loss”.
[3] Saul was the original version of Paul’s name, which was changed later
on.
[4] The account of Paul’s conversion may be found in Acts 9:1 – 9. It is repeated in Acts 22:6 – 11.
