Palm/Passion Sunday — Philippians 2:5-11

Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus… (Philippians 2:5, NRSV)

Whether you call it Palm Sunday or the Sunday of the Passion, today marks the beginning of a week in which we contemplate the significance of our Lord’s betrayal, suffering, death, and resurrection for us and for the life of the world. There is perhaps no more poignant reflection on the theme of Christ’s humiliation and vindication than these seven verses recorded in Paul’s letter to the church at Philippi. Sometimes called the “Christ Hymn”, this passage describes Jesus, not as a passive victim, but as one who chose the path of suffering in order to remain obedient to God’s plan to defeat the power of sin, death, and the devil. What’s more, Paul inserts this hymn into his letter in such a way as to present Jesus as a model for us in our relationships with others. As disciples of Jesus, we are called to live “cross-shaped” lives, humbling ourselves so that God’s glory might be revealed to all in Christ by the power of the Spirit. During this Holy Week, “let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus…to the glory of God the Father.”

O God of mercy and might, in the mystery of the passion of your Son you offer your infinite life to the world. Gather us around the cross of Christ, and preserve us until the resurrection, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

(From Evangelical Lutheran Worship)

– Pastor Andrew Chavanak, St. Paul’s Ev. Lutheran Church (20th & Towle)