Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus. — Philippians 2:5
St. Paul’s simple directive is far from easy. It serves as a radical call to action that challenges our very nature. To have the mind of Christ is not merely to think or believe as he did, but to reorient our entire being—our values, priorities, and motivations—away from self-interest and toward sacrificial love.
Who among us is willing to humble themselves and be “obedient to the point of death”? We live in a world that exalts the self and prioritizes personal success, influence, and comfort. The human tendency is to seek power, not to relinquish it; to exploit advantages, not to forfeit them; and to assert our will, not to submit it. We are wired to climb the ladder, not to descend it for the sake of another. Christ, however, did what we so often fail to do: he did not exploit his relationship with God, but instead, he “made himself nothing,” taking on the very form of a servant.
In truth, none of us can fully replicate the divine perfection of Christ. Yet, his example is not meant to be a source of discouragement but a constant and guiding north star. We set his life and spirit as our ultimate goal, striving each day to close the gap between who we are and who he was. We can strive to be humble where others exalt themselves. We can choose obedience and submission where the world prompts rebellion and defiance. And instead of lording over our neighbors or treating them as inferior, we can embrace them all, seeing them as Christ sees them—with love, dignity, and compassion.
The journey toward this ideal is a process of small, deliberate choices. It is a daily practice of yielding our own desires for the good of others, of listening more than we speak, and of serving with a glad heart, even when no one is watching. By continuously striving to align our minds with his, we are not simply imitating a historical figure; we are participating in a transformative process that deepens our faith and empowers us to be a light in the world.
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