Today’s feast replaces the usual lectionary readings with specific readings for the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. Keeping in mind my desire to celebrate the jubilee year of the apostle Paul by focusing on his writings, we hit a jackpot in today’s reading from Paul’s Letter to the Philippians.
Scholars tell us that this canticle, this piece of poetry in Paul’s Letter to the Philippians, had already been used widely as a hymn or as a reading at the Eucharist for years before Paul included it in this letter. In other words, it is one of the earliest of New Testament writings. It is as powerful today as it was in those earliest of days of Christian history. What is its impact for us today?
When I ask young people what they want to do with their lives, they don’t know – even as late as in their college years. It’s as if there were an epidemic of indecision and aimlessness happening. However, when pushed to take classes for a career, the direction they seem to be headed in is based on ideals that are directly opposite of this reading from Philippians.
When young people are fed a diet of power, riches and prestige as the supreme values they should be readying themselves for, they are setting themselves up for a life of a profound spiritual thirst that will not be satisfied when they achieve power, riches and prestige. I believe that our young people are smart enough to know, even subconsciously, that they are readying themselves for the wrong something. I believe that’s why so many college and beyond-college aged people feel so adrift.
Today’s hymn from Philippians gives us a different diet, a different set of values on which to build our lives. The brief way to describe the difference is: self-emptying instead self-fulfilling; or surrender instead of power; or poverty of spirit instead of riches; or humility instead of prestige.
Think of it: The Word of God, the Almighty One, through Whom was made all that exists, divested Himself of divine glory to take on the lowly form of being a mere human being. Not only that, but he shunned all the perquisites of being God and lowered himself even to the level of a slave, a servant to other human beings. Not only that, but he allowed himself to be treated disgracefully – not only to the point of death but to the point of an ignominious, appalling death – nailed naked to a cross!
Who of us here encourages our young people to give of themselves, to pour out themselves for the sake of others? Who of us tells our young people that making money should be a lower priority for us than doing good for others - without counting the cost? Who of us challenges ourselves as well as our young people to turn away from our tendency to have an attitude of entitlement?
Can we not see that emphasizing what our rights are, while dismissing what our obligations and responsibilities are, is contrary to what being a Christian is all about? Who of us encourages a sense of obedience to the will of God as the first priority? Do we not instead say: be all you can be? Reach for the stars! Do whatever you want. Follow your heart’s desire! If it feels right, do it.
The way to true life is the way of Jesus: opening our hearts to the Father, seeking the Father’s will in all things, carrying with Jesus the burdens that other people carry; and opening ourselves in trust to Our Heavenly Father with a sense of obedience to His will, knowing that by such obedience to the Father we will be free, free to be fully alive and to live with meaning and purpose and joy.
My brothers and sisters, we need to rethink what messages we are passing on to our younger generation. Are we passing on to them the way of the Lord, or are we passing on to them the values of a secularized world that leaves people rich but sad, self-centered instead of self-emptying, and searching after a prestige that leaves them still unsatisfied when they have it all? I think of Saint Augustine's short synopsis of the meaning of human life: “Lord, our hearts are restless until they rest in You.”
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