April 2, 2023
“And if anyone should say anything to you, reply, ‘the Master has need of them.’…Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God, did not deem equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”
Interesting the statement ‘the Master has need of them.’ There is a reversal of roles, for God does not need us, but we have a never ending need of Him. That is why we begin the solemn week, not for His sake, but for ours.
We embark on a week we call holy, but through our prayer, sacrifice and action, we make these days truly holy. As I reflect upon the words of Paul, a hymn of the early church, I am forced to consider how great was the Father’s love in sending Jesus as our needed Savior and as He poured out His blood for us, He gave it all, because we needed it. He became one of us, except for sin, to rescue us and bring us back to the Father, who was and is waiting for us to respond. The reversal of roles also includes the fact the ‘Master has need of us’ to continue His mission. Are you ready?
by Rev. William J. Reilly