The Church’s year of St. Paul just ended and now is a good time to take another look at what we can learn from this great Apostle.  The main message of St. Paul is that we must do everything that Christ does.  This is the mystery of the cross, by dying to our bodies we will live forever in heaven.  To do this seems counter-intuitive.  How can we gain everything by losing everything?  The difference is what we are losing and what we are gaining.  We give up ourselves and our self interests and concern ourselves with God’s works and what pleases him.  In return we become one with Him and gain the joys of everlasting heaven.  Pope Benedict XVI said of St. Paul’s message, “From here we draw a very important lesson:  what counts is to place Jesus Christ at the center of our lives, so that our identity is marked essentially by the encounter, by communion with Christ and with his Word.”  

 

 

    The emphasis on God’s actions on the Cross is not to diminish from Jesus’ actions.  St. Paul said, “…though he was in the form of God, [he] did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.  And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross.”  (Phil 2:6-8)  Two things can be seen about Jesus in this passage, his self-giving love and his obedience.  Jesus was willing to be “born in the likeness of men” and to do this he had to “empty himself.”  He left the infinity of the divine to become finite like us; he did this for our sake, not for him own.  To think of what Jesus gave up and the trials and pains of human life that he took on for or sake is amazing.  Jesus was obedient to death.  Crucifixion was the most humiliating and painful death that the Romans had at their disposal.  It was considered the worst possible end for human life, both painfully and culturally.  Most of us would like to remembered in a good way after we are gone, but Jesus was willing to give up his life and reputation out of obedience to the Father.  

 

    The culmination of St. Paul’s message is to imitate Christ.  “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.” (1Cor 11:1)  He instructs us to follow our model Jesus Christ.  St. Paul shows us that this is possible by his own actions.  “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me” (Gal 2:20)  St. Paul identified with Christ.  He no longer sought his own personal benefit in life, but did all things for the sake of Jesus Christ and his glory.  Jesus Christ was the center of St. Paul’s life and it is by also participating in Jesus’ Cross and making sacrifices of our own that we live up to St. Paul’s message.   “[That I] may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,” (Phil 3:10)

 

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