Dear brothers in the Office:

We can be so empty inside. It is our reactivity to living in this sinful world. Things happen that we don't want. Things happen we cannot control. We are left holding the bag. We have to pick up the pieces of someone else's mess. We make one wrong decision After the other. That's why what St. Paul writes in this section of his letter to the Philippians is so timely for us. In world that is awash with dissatisfaction and amuck discontent St. Paul talks about satisfaction and contentment. He talks to us about "Living with a purpose: Rejoicing Whatever the Circumstances of Life Might Be". Rejoicing because Jesus is our whatever, Jesus is our perspective for life.

Perspective is the way a person looks at things. Stand by the Colorado River at the bottom of the Grand Canyon and look up; you can only see a towering cliff or two (only what's right in front of you). But stand atop one of the lookouts, from the heights and you see the beauty and the wonder of the winding river canyon more than a mile wide created by the finger of God. Standing there you know why so many flock to the Grand Canyon.  

What's true of Grand Canyon is also true of life in general. Our outlook on life depends on how we look at things. A rich man can suffer from greed and dissatisfaction as well as a poor man, if both look at what they don't have instead of what they do have. A person suffering from a terminal disease only sees the end of their life; unless there is an empty grave in view. Perspective matters.  

Paul's perspective on life is not measured from the depths of a canyon; but from the heights of God's grace. That's important because at this point in time Paul could have very easily taken a dim view of his circumstances. He is under arrest, chained to a Roman soldier twenty-four hours a day seven days a week, awaiting trial before the Roman emperor. He cannot start churches. He cannot visit churches. He is stuck. A tough situation. Monotonous. What can he do?

But read this letter. It's easy to see that Paul is neither depressed nor anxious. Six times Paul uses the word "joy". Paul tells the Philippians, "In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now." Six times Paul uses the word "rejoice". Paul says, "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!

Rejoice? Really? Yes, indeed! Standing high on the outlook of grace Paul understands what God has done for him. Paul understands the wonder of God's saving grace. That saving grace that God gave Paul also gives him a unique perspective on life. And it provides us with a unique perspective on life as well. Saving grace is about our Lord Jesus. Saving grace is about Jesus' sacrifice on the cross. Saving grace is about God giving us forgiveness because of His Son. Saving grace is about the empty tomb where the angel told the visitors, "He is not here. He is risen!"