The Better Things
A reflection and study on St. Paul’s Letter to the Philippians, chapter 1 verses 6-11.
“Being confident of this very thing, that he, who hath begun a good work in you, will perfect it unto the day of Christ Jesus. As it is meet for me to think this for you all, for that I have you in my heart; and that in my bands, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers of my joy.
For God is my witness, how I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ. And this I pray, that your charity may more and more abound in knowledge, and in all understanding: That you may approve the better things, that you may be sincere and without offence unto the day of Christ,
Filled with the fruit of justice, through Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.”
St. Paul wrote this letter while sitting in a prison. It is a letter marked by tremendous joy and hope, which sounds odd considering his surroundings. And yet, knowing Christ as he did, and knowing his destination would eventually be Heaven, he can not contain his exaltation.
Furthermore, St. Paul is writing to a thriving community of faith in Philippi, which only solidifies the light beaming from within his soul. Philippians is such a great letter to read especially in the midst of trials and tribulation, because it serves as a reminder to keep the light of Christ our Lord burning brightly for the world to see no matter how dark it may be appear on the outside.
I love how St. Paul has such firm confidence in the faith of the Philippian church. This is not a presumptuous confidence, but rather grounded in his conviction that God would continue to build up this community in the face of persecution. Paul continues to pray that they will remain strong in faith, hope, and charity, relying on the grace of God to supply them in abundance with the virtues needed to stand firm.
It is God who initiates the life of grace within the soul. It all begins with Him, because even the desire to repent and have faith begins with actual graces that God sends to the soul. This was true then, and it is true now. We must be grateful for God’s generous outpouring through the movement of the Holy Spirit, because without it, we would all be spiritual corpses. Jesus stands at the door of our hearts and knocks, and we are called to cooperate with this grace by opening the door and giving our Lord a fitting place to dwell.
Notice how St. Paul is more concerned with the spiritual wellbeing of the Philippians than with temporal concerns. He wants them to be prepared for the next life, because as St. Therese the Little Flower said, this world is merely our ship and not our home. So he prays for us that our charity may abound in knowledge and all understanding. Charity is the supernatural love of God, and St. Paul knows that this is the compass which will navigate the soul to Heaven. The more we grow in our knowledge of God’s love, the more we will seek to serve God through our lives. And the way to eternal life with God is to know, love, and serve Him in this present life. Thus, all the more reason we ought to make frequent use of deep contemplation on the Passion of our Lord and the Mysteries of the Holy Rosary. The means to the end is greater understanding which then leads to greater charity. And charity guides us right along the waves to the destination which is Heaven.
“That you may approve the better things” shows the value of discernment and prudence, for this life presents all sorts of tests for the Christian. And we ought to judge all things from the perspective of the Cross and our final end. We ought to always keep the Eternal Perspective in mind as our feet move across the Earth. We are not called to be ignorant of truth and virtue, but rather “He who hath begun a good work” in us seeks to perfect it unto the day of our Lord. So let us continue to cling tight to Christ Jesus, preserve our state of grace, practice acts of virtue and works of mercy, and let the light of our Lord burn ever brighter as we keep the course of the narrow road. May we be filled with the fruit of justice, as St. Paul prays, all unto the glory of Almighty God.
Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. We love you. Save souls. Amen.
