HISTORY
Paul’s letter to the Philippians is seen by scholars as possibly 3 different short notes occasioned by a desire to express thanks for a donation for the Church in Jerusalem from the people of Rome. A portion of this letter was written from prison. Paul was jailed because he performed an exorcism on a slave girl of Philippi. This letter was the initiation of Paul’s missionary work in Europe, away from the East. Scholars consider this letter to be authentic Pauline writing. Paul uses the letter to address the antagonism within the community of Philippi that developed as a result of some of the reaction against those who were seeking to follow the message of the Risen Jesus. The antagonism was brought about by pride and self-seeking. He seeks to sue the notion of a "common participation" in Christ as the way to "shape and determine their mutual relationships" (New Jerome Biblical Commentary, pp 791-794).
REFLECTION
Paul wants his followers in Philippi to live the fullness of a Christian life which is possible if they possess the proper motivation. He says that if they (and we ourselves in today’s world) possess the "same attitude" among themselves (and we among ourselves) as they have in their personal relationship with the Risen Jesus, they will achieve a strong community that will further support them in their faith.
Important for them, according to Paul, is that they should not attempt to manipulate or control how others live their lives. The true follower of Christ lives life just as Jesus lived his life. Jesus, using his time alone in prayer and reflection with the Father, knew who he was as the Son of God. It was this awareness that gifted him with so much freedom to be himself. His sense of self gained from those moments allowed him to be open to all people and concerned about them as well.
If we (like the Philippians) know who we are as Christ-followers today, if we live our lives of faith in Christ , we will possess a similar freedom. It would be a freedom that opens our lives to "others." And who are the "others"? In our society, even in our Church today, there are those who are called the marginalized, living on the edge of society. For us today opening our hearts and minds to the needy, the rejected, the mentally disturbed, this is the challenge for the follower of Christ, the true child of God.
