May 4, 2023

“Where love rules, there is no will to power, and where power predominates, love is lacking. The one is the shadow of the other.”

That’s Carl Jung. Jesus agrees. The secular world loves power. (See HBO’s Succession”) But Jesus eschews power. Turns it on its head. Love is the abdication, renunciation of power.

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:3-8)

“Almighty God, whose dear Son went not up to joy but first he suffered pain, and entered not into glory before he was crucified: Mercifully grant that we, walking in the way of the cross, may find it none other that the way of life and peace; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.” (Monday in Holy Week – BCP)