our citizenship

it is clear why some scholars term Paul's letter to the Philippians "sublime." Paul doesn't seem to think of himself as a poet, but some of his writings, Paul writes in long extended sentences, have poetry's magical way of being beautiful expressions that don't necessarily immediately make straightforward sense, and that can be understood variously. He will transform the body of our humiliation that it may be conformed to the body of his glory, by the power that also enables him to make all things subject to himself. What the heck, eh? Say what? Maybe in Paul's NT Greek it made perfect sense to the folks who gathered to hear Paul's messenger read it aloud to them, maybe they nodded their heads as they looked at each other smiling in delighted assurance. This is our second reading for today, Lent 2C:

Philippians 3:17-4:1

Brothers and sisters, join in imitating me, and observe those who live according to the example you have in us. For many live as enemies of the cross of Christ; I have often told you of them, and now I tell you even with tears. Their end is destruction; their god is the belly; and their glory is in their shame; their minds are set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and it is from there that we are expecting a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. He will transform the body of our humiliation that it may be conformed to the body of his glory, by the power that also enables him to make all things subject to himself. Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved.

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Seems like I keep harping on this, but to me it's important to understand Paul's thinking, which, even with "but our citizenship is in heaven" stirred into the pot, is different from what rests in the minds of today's Christians as we/they hear the passage. 

As an aside in my contemplation of it, Paul's listeners (and we) are smug that the enemies won't make it, but we will. More to the point, though, Paul is not talking about us going to heaven, the abode of God, when we die. He's talking about "a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ" coming down to earth from heaven to establish the new kingdom of God on Earth. To Paul, that will happen at the general resurrection at the End of Days, when all souls, living and dead, will meet Christ in the air for judgment as to how we lived our lives. Some, including those hearing Paul's assurance, will be "saved" into the new kingdom of God on Earth. Some, including the enemies mentioned above, will not make it. Paul's teaching is not what the church has evolved into teaching and people believing, the soul passing directly into heaven at death. Or, in Roman Cstholicism, via a cleansing in Purgatory. 

It will not be what we authoritatively decide, but whatever God says. What then? 

?As Paul says? 

?As the usual funeral homily assures the grieving, directly into Paradise? 

?The oblivion that one may experience under deepest anesthesia as a preview of death that is not darkness, not silence, but absence, total nothingness after and beyond all sensory experience? 

We believe what we will and what we want to, and what we believe our gracious God wants and wills for us. Mostly, we believe what our religious authorities teach us. Mostly without seeking further. Retirement brings Time for study and contemplation as I continue to Seek and realize how little I know.

Sunday: "Welcome, happy morning!" age to age shall say. Hell today is vanquished, heaven is won today.

RSF&PTL

T89+c

image: ruins of Philippi. it must have been a magnificent city in Paul's day.