Philippians 4:1-9; Matthew 22:1-14
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.
I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. Yes, and I ask you
also, my loyal companion, help these women, for they have struggled beside me in the
work of the gospel, together with Clement and the rest of my coworkers, whose names
are in the book of life.
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to
everyone. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by
prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And
the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your
minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just,
whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any
excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. As for the
things that you have learned and received and heard and noticed in me, do them, and
the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:1-9)
The city of Philippi was Paul’s favourite among the churches. It was the capital of Macedonia in
northeastern Greece where Philip’s son, Alexander the Great, had been tutored by Aristotle.
Now, 1350 years later, Paul has experienced such a warmth of reception there that he can call
its people “My joy and my crown, my dear ones” (4:1). He prided himself on accepting nothing
from any of his churches, but he made an exception with Philippi.
The letter is a marvellously warm exchange of a friend with friends. It helps us to know
something of Paul’s capacity for affection, he who could blaze with anger if the purity of the
gospel is threatened. It is also a reminder of the unction with which the apostle can speak of
the material support for the spread of the gospel. Here was a pastor who, when he spoke of
money, knew how to put it in a context of God’s magnificent riches in Jesus Christ which the
divine bounty has shared with us.
It is much easier for us to feel at home in St. Paul’s correspondence than in the gospel passage
from Matthew. That is because, although we know our great one, Jesus of Nazareth, was an
apocalyptic Jew we have never for five minutes dwelt in that religious thought-world. No
matter how often we hear Jesus speaking of the last days we continue to be mystified. For
these are simply not our modes of thought about religious reality.
Matthew takes as his theme the image of the last age as wedding banquet from Isaiah 25,
though he apparently puts it to more negative, admonitory purpose. Many commentators
contend that the evangelist was fixated on the sternness of divine justice, especially as it would
operate with regard to those who in his day were not accepting the gospel. In this view, those
who would not come to the king’s banquet are those who have rejected the gospel. The man
who comes to the wedding feast without the proper attire is doubtless the Gentile Christian in
Matthew’s community whose life does not come up to his high calling. Though called, he will
not be chosen.
Our God is not a despot who sends out armies to destroy cities or who casts hapless guests
bound hand and foot out into the night. But the kings of this world do act like that. Witness the
destruction of the cities of Syria by Bashar al Assad or the cities of Ukraine by Vladimir Putin.
The cruelty of the powerful is just as much a reality now as it was in Jesus’ day.
We do well to take our image of God from Paul’s letter to the Philippians, a God whose peace
surpasses all understanding (4:7). Thus we may become people whose “gentleness is known to
everyone” (4:5). Alas, we too often reveal ourselves to be lovers of death – wars, the arms
industry, addictive drugs, highway fatalities, heedless users of the goods of creation. Not so our
God. For God would indeed have us live in peace and join in gladness at the wedding banquet
of the Lamb (cf. Revelation 19:6b-8a).
Kevin+
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