St. Paul’s letter to the Church in Philippi is filled with joy. If Corinth was his problem child, Philippi was his favorite. He spoke to them very personally. When we read for to me life is Christ, and death is gain we understand that Paul wants the Philippians to come to understand how profoundly his faith in Jesus has altered Paul’s perspective on what it means to be a human being. I suspect that they, like us, looked on faith as a nice addition to our lives, as a good thing. But Paul wanted them, and wants us, to see the faith as something much more mind-boggling. Everything — family, health, work, politics, economics — can only find their true worth when situated in the relationship with God we have in Christ Jesus.
