The New Testament reading from St. Paul today (this Twenty-Sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time) is an ancient hymn of praise—heard most often on Palm/Passion Sunday, and sometimes on Christ the King. In St. Paul’s introduction to this hymn he gives us some advice about our conduct: “…be of the same mind, with the same love, united in heart, thinking one thing. Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory; rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves, each looking out not for their own interests, but for those of others.” To me this sounds like a paraphrasing of the “Love Law” to some extent: “Love your neighbor…”
For us as Disciples of Christ and Baptized believers, this kind of witnessing behavior should always be our goal, our model. This kind of loving and unselfish conduct among us is what creates healthy communities—something St. Paul wanted for the Philippians (and us). God is found in His people. God’s (and our) work is always about our relationships: how we treat one another with respect and love.
The hymn quoted in St. Paul continues about us having the same attitude as Jesus: we must empty our own selves, and humbly serve others. “At the Name of Jesus—every knee will bend and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord.” And He is the Lord—and the example we are called to demonstrate here on earth in all of our relationships—in our marriages, families, churches and communities. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if by just saying His name we could remind each other and ourselves about how we are called to be? What Would Jesus Do could be expanded to What Would Jesus Think and What Would Jesus Say…
Being Disciples of Jesus is never easy. We are called every day, indeed in every moment, to struggle against our prejudices, our knee-jerk, emotional responses, our sinful reactions and actions in any and all situations—especially those that are fraught with our own self-interests. We are called to practice kindness, mercy and love in the face of hate, injustice, unkindness, selfishness, greed, fear, anger and sin. We should never ignore these anti-Jesus behaviors and attitudes in others, or especially in our own selves—and with loving and non-judgmental responses say the name of Jesus—reminding us all that at His name every knee should bend—and every mind should turn—and every heart should burn—with love!
Keep singing!
Elizabeth Dyc
For us as Disciples of Christ and Baptized believers, this kind of witnessing behavior should always be our goal, our model. This kind of loving and unselfish conduct among us is what creates healthy communities—something St. Paul wanted for the Philippians (and us). God is found in His people. God’s (and our) work is always about our relationships: how we treat one another with respect and love.
The hymn quoted in St. Paul continues about us having the same attitude as Jesus: we must empty our own selves, and humbly serve others. “At the Name of Jesus—every knee will bend and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord.” And He is the Lord—and the example we are called to demonstrate here on earth in all of our relationships—in our marriages, families, churches and communities. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if by just saying His name we could remind each other and ourselves about how we are called to be? What Would Jesus Do could be expanded to What Would Jesus Think and What Would Jesus Say…
Being Disciples of Jesus is never easy. We are called every day, indeed in every moment, to struggle against our prejudices, our knee-jerk, emotional responses, our sinful reactions and actions in any and all situations—especially those that are fraught with our own self-interests. We are called to practice kindness, mercy and love in the face of hate, injustice, unkindness, selfishness, greed, fear, anger and sin. We should never ignore these anti-Jesus behaviors and attitudes in others, or especially in our own selves—and with loving and non-judgmental responses say the name of Jesus—reminding us all that at His name every knee should bend—and every mind should turn—and every heart should burn—with love!
Keep singing!
Elizabeth Dyc
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