Counting All as Loss: The Surpassing Worth of Knowing Christ
November 7, 2024 - Thursday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time
Phil 3:3-8a
Many remember Jesus' paradoxical statement: "For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it" (Matt. 16:25). These words were spoken in the shadow of the cross. It was the first time Jesus predicted His tragic death, and Peter vehemently opposed it. We often understand these words as a call to martyrdom, which many of us will probably never experience. However, perhaps we can expand our understanding of these words through Paul's statement of counting everything as loss compared to the supreme good of knowing Jesus Christ (see Phil. 3:8).
Credentials. We love to boast of our credentials—education, career, reputation, or social status. There are countless awards for individuals who excel in sports, science, art, environmental protection, or promoting peace. But the question is: how many of us would be willing to part with those credentials and the lifestyle associated with them for the sake of Christ?
From a Jewish perspective, Paul had enormous credentials. In ancient Jewish circles, he was a VIP: an Israelite from the tribe of Israel's first king, a zealous Pharisee who perfectly fulfilled all the requirements of the Law of Moses, and a persecutor of the Church (see Phil. 3:5-6). If he had held on to those impressive credentials, he could have joined the ranks of the most prominent rabbis of all time. But he gave all of these up because he found a "treasure" that surpassed the value of everything.
My two favorite parables of Jesus are about the hidden treasure and the pearl: "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it" (Matt. 13:44-46). Paul found this treasure and this pearl—namely, Jesus Christ. And to gain Christ, he willingly parted with everything he had previously considered so dear and important.
What did Paul find so fascinating in Jesus Christ?
Love beyond comprehension. Jesus Christ loved Paul so much that He was willing to give up His life for him.
Mercy beyond comprehension. Paul was not punished for persecuting Christ's followers; he was forgiven and transformed into a new person. The foremost among sinners became Christ's most faithful apostle.
Hope beyond comprehension. Christ offered Paul a foretaste of the future when he was "caught up to the third heaven" and "into paradise" (see 2 Cor. 12:2-3), something that "no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no human mind has conceived"—namely, "the things God has prepared for those who love him" (see 1 Cor. 2:9).
Relationship beyond comprehension. Paul lived in Christ, the way most of us inhabit our world. Or as Paul himself puts it, he was not living anymore but Christ was living in him (see Gal. 2:20). For Paul, Christ was everything—bigger than the universe, worthy of his love.
Paul's example can help us rediscover the uniqueness of our faith, which is all about knowing Jesus Christ. Throughout the centuries, "the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord" (Phil. 3:8) led Christ's followers to martyrdom, uninhabited deserts, distant places, and deep forests. Like Paul, they considered everything in this world as worthless compared to knowing Christ in a deep and experiential way. We remember many of them during our liturgical celebrations, and we ask them to intercede for us in our needs. They, in turn, would like to see us following their example. Will we be willing to part with our list of credentials and live for Christ alone?