Isn’t the second helping just a little more tasty? Maybe because you had it already and know what to expect? Maybe it’s because you only took a little and weren’t sure if you’d like it? Whatever the case, seconds are to be savored and enjoyed.
If you were fortunate enough to listen to cycle C from the lectionary at Church Sunday, the 2nd Reading from St. Paul’s letter to the Philippians begs another helping.
Let’s do ourselves a favor. Let’s read this, pray this, taste this, savor this passionate passage. Let’s give ourselves some time to slowly read these beautiful words of Paul to the church at Philippi – – to us – – read them silently, read them out loud. Hear the intensity with which Paul proclaim these profound and spirit filled words.
Reading 2 Fifth Sunday of Lent PHIL 3:8-14
Brothers and sisters:
I consider everything as a loss
because of the supreme good of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.
For his sake I have accepted the loss of all things
and I consider them so much rubbish,
that I may gain Christ and be found in him,
not having any righteousness of my own based on the law
but that which comes through faith in Christ,
the righteousness from God,
depending on faith to know him and the power of his resurrection
and the sharing of his sufferings by being conformed to his death,
if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
It is not that I have already taken hold of it or have already attained perfect maturity,
but I continue my pursuit in hope that I may possess it,
since I have indeed been taken possession of by Christ Jesus.
Brothers and sisters, I for my part
do not consider myself to have taken possession.
Just one thing: forgetting what lies behind
but straining forward to what lies ahead,
I continue my pursuit toward the goal,
the prize of God’s upward calling, in Christ Jesus.
