26th Sunday of Ordinary Time
Cycle A
September 27, 2020
Our Lady of Grace Parish, Parkton 8:30am
Self-Filling
Have you ever said or heard someone else say: “He’s really full of himself?” Or: “She’s really full of herself?”
I am not recommending that we say this. It is a put-down and not a very kind remark.
But, for our purposes this morning, the expression is helpful. What it means is that a person is so full of himself that they have no room for anyone else.
It means that a person is so taken up with their own importance or opinions or accomplishments that they don’t let anyone else in. They are not interested in what others are doing or thinking or in how they are feeling.
Often a person like this dominates a conversation. These are some of the things that the expression “being full of yourself” means.
Self-Emptying
This is in sharp contrast to what Saint Paul is talking about today.
Paul says: “Have in you the same attitude that is also in Christ Jesus.” He describes this attitude a bit, and the heart of it is in one sentence.
“Humbly regard others as more important than yourselves, each looking out not for their own interests, but also for those of others.” So, in contrast to being full of ourselves, Paul really calls us to empty ourselves.
In fact, in this same passage, Paul says: “Christ Jesus did not regard equality with God as something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, becoming human and obedient even to death on a cross.”
This is the self-emptying of God and of Jesus, and Paul calls us to adopt this same attitude. I am thinking of two ways for us to do this.
Emptying Ourselves for Christ
First, we need to empty ourselves for Christ himself.
This means that we are to allow Christ to fill us more and more and never stop this process. We are to see Christ and not ourselves as the all- important one.
Emptying ourselves for Christ means that we are not complacent. We do not look at our understanding of faith or our relationship with Jesus as perfect.
Instead, we seek a fuller understanding of Scripture and how it applies to us. We see ourselves as always in need of growth.
Emptying ourselves for Christ means that we come to Mass not just to fulfill an obligation, but really to lift up our minds and hearts to God. We want to receive Communion, Holy Communion, because we want a real communion of life with Christ.
Emptying Ourselves for the Common Good
So, we empty ourselves for Christ, and then we are to empty ourselves for the common good.
The term “common good” is a traditional part of our Catholic moral teaching. It means that we look beyond our own self-interest to the greater good of all.
Emptying ourselves for the common good means that I am thinking not just of my own well-being. Instead, I care about what we collectively have to do to care for everyone, especially the vulnerable and the poor.
This could be me and my family, or me and the people with whom I work. It could be me and the people in my community, or me and the people in my country, or me and the people in the entire world.
Emptying ourselves for the common good is not always easy. But, in fact, I think that the desire to do this is built into our spiritual DNA, and we will find peace and joy only if we get into the flow of doing this.
Conclusion
So, “have in you the same attitude that is also in Christ.”
“He emptied himself for our sakes, even to dying on the cross.” Instead of being full of ourselves, we are to empty ourselves, first for Christ and then for the common good of all.
