In today’s second reading, we encounter St. Paul sharing the effects of his new life in Christ. Moments before, he shares the fact that he is a “Hebrew of Hebrew parentage, in observance of the law a Pharisee, in zeal I persecuted the church, in righteousness based on the law I was blameless” (Philippians 3:5-6). It is Paul’s version of a modern-day resume. And not bad at that.
Yet, the man continues and says, “I consider everything as a loss because of the supreme good of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” (Ibid, 3:8). St. Paul studied under the great Gamaliel. He was at the height of his career. But then he met Jesus Christ. And now, everything is a loss or as he puts it, “I consider them so much rubbish” (Ibid). Rubbish. All that had defined and given him identity was nothing but straw to him. That is quite the transformation. All that he dreamed about and spent the last decade of his life doing meant nothing to him. His mind has been made up.
The Foolishness of the Cross
To a man of the world, Paul’s decision would seem foolish. It is. It is what he calls the foolishness of the Cross (1 Cor. 1:18). Paul only wants one prize: eternal life with Jesus Christ.
When we turn to the Gospel, we encounter another person presented with the prize. It is the woman caught in adultery. Who is she? What is her name? On this account, the Gospel remains silent, but it does give us one valuable insight and probably the only valuable insight needed: an encounter with Jesus Christ.
Today’s readings are an invitation to reconsider the prize and the rubbish in our lives. What remains the prize and what is the rubbish? What will it take for us to become foolish for the Cross? Will we forget what lies behind and strain ourselves to what lies ahead?
As we close out this journey of Lent, let us ask for an encounter with Christ Jesus. Let us “forget what is behind but strain forward for what lies ahead” (Philippians 3:13). Otherwise, what is rubbish might become our prize, and the prize may become rubbish.
[Readings: Isaiah 43:16-21; Philippians 3:8-14; John 8:1-11]
