Have among yourselves the same attitude that is also yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness and found human in appearance, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross (Philippians 2: 5-8).
Advent is the time when the church awaits and ponders Christianity’s amazing teaching that God became Man through Jesus.
The Church prays about how the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. Do we realize this familiar phrase sums up a powerful truth that Jesus, by taking on our humanity, has allowed himself to become vulnerable? This is a startling reality. Jesus, the second person of the Blessed Trinity, son of God, becomes a son of Mary and truly our brother.
What does it mean that Jesus became vulnerable and surrendered Himself in this way?
In doing this, He presents Himself as willing and able to bring about our redemption by His physical suffering, dying and rising, but He also gives us an example of how we can surrender to God’s will. It is difficult for us to surrender, to become vulnerable. It goes against our human instincts. We desire to be independent and self-sufficient, to be strong, and to shield ourselves from any weakness.
This desire for independence, for rugged individualism, is a reflection of Satan’s rebellion against God. That angel would not serve. We inherit that tendency towards independence from God through the sin of Adam. In Genesis, we are told how the serpent tempted Eve, telling her to disobey and eat the fruit and promising she would be like God. The message of the serpent was you don’t need to depend upon God. We have inherited that strong attraction that led Eve and Adam to disobey. For us followers of Jesus the antidote to this attraction is to, like Jesus, surrender to the will of the Father and to be vulnerable. Jesus surrendered to the will of the Father by allowing Himself to be handed over to those who wished to destroy Him. He allowed himself to be given over to His enemies, to be rejected, tortured and crucified.
Surrender and vulnerability go hand in hand in our lives if we wish to grow in our likeness to Jesus, which is true holiness. We have to be willing to surrender, to surrender to God’s will as it is expressed and penetrated through the hands of other human beings. We have to be open to that vulnerability which allows us to experience suffering and rejection.
In a word, we need to allow ourselves to be like Jesus, meek and humble of heart. This is a difficult challenge and yet, it is the way to true holiness, contentment and a deep realization of who we are as sisters and brothers. We remain united to Jesus and His vulnerability through baptism, confirmation and Eucharist.
This Advent, as we carry His name — Christian — let us live His example.
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