31st Week in Ordinary Time

Daily Meditation: Philippians 2:12-18

Work out your salvation with fear and trembling. (Philippians 2:12)

Wait a minute! If our salvation is a gift from God, then why does St. Paul write that we should “work [it] out” in “fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12)? Do we have to earn it after all? And should we do it because we are afraid of God?

Let’s begin with the first question. The answer is a resounding no! Salvation is possible only because Christ died and rose for us, and it’s promised to those who believe and are baptized in him. St. Paul made that perfectly clear: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, . . . it is not from works, so no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).

But the apostle also made it clear that our hope of eternal life requires us to be serious about our faith. We have to fight temptation, make time for prayer and worship, and sacrifice our comforts and desires out of love for someone else. Each day presents new challenges—as well as joys and blessings—as we fight the good fight of faith (see 1 Timothy 6:12).

Fortunately, God doesn’t expect us to live out our Christian journey only through our own efforts. As Paul reminds us, “God is the one who, for his good purpose, works in you both to desire and to work” (Philippians 2:13). He works in us! The Spirit is the One who gives us the desire to pray to him each morning or to receive the Eucharist at Mass. He is the One who nudges us to reach out to an ailing friend or to stand strong in the face of temptation. And when we fall, he is the One who convicts our hearts and leads us back to him.

And that leads to the second question: should we be afraid of a God who has been so good to us? That answer is also no! Actually, “with fear and trembling” was a common Hebrew expression that meant that we should have a healthy respect and reverence for God. Paul never wanted us to take our salvation for granted. It’s a gift that was purchased for us at great cost.

In prayer today, stand in awe of such a great God. Kneel in reverence before the mighty Lord of the universe. Then thank him that as you “work out your salvation,” you can count on him to work in you!

“Lord, what an awesome God you are!”

Psalm 27:1, 4, 13-14
Luke 14:25-33