The sublime mystery of God’s self-emptying love comes from the Greek word “kenosis,” meaning to “empty out” or “purge.” In Christology, it refers to the self-abasement of Christ “in subjecting Himself to the laws of human birth and growth and to the lowliness of fallen human nature” (Catholic Encyclopedia). The Jerusalem Bible, in a commentary on Christ’s kenosis, reads: “What Jesus freely gave up was not his divine nature, but the glory to which his divine nature entitled him.” And The Ignatius Catholic Study Bible, quoting the Church Father Saint Gregory of Nyssa, elaborates: “Christ emptied himself by compressing the glory of his Godhead within our smallness. What he always was remained perfect and incomprehensible, but what he assumed was in proportion to the measure of our nature.”

What should absolutely rend our hearts when we ponder God’s “kenotic” love in the Son is the inconceivable magnanimity and humility of the Almighty God to condescend to save us from ourselves despite our pride and ungratefulness (cf. Romans 5:8). In taking the form of a helpless and dependent child, the second person of the Holy Trinity shows us that the way to freedom and joy and authentic relationship with God is through embracing the dignity of our God-given spiritual childhood.

The Gospel Acclamation for today marvelously expresses this truth: “The Word of God became flesh and dwelt among us. To those who accepted him he gave power to become the children of God” (John 1:14a, 12a). As Catholics in recovery, we make a leap of faith (Steps 1-3) in coming to believe that Christ’s power is made perfect in our weakness and brokenness (cf. 2 Corinthians 12:9) and then we come to experience it manifestly in our lives as we are transformed in Christ’s saving love (Steps 4-12). What we thereby receive—the gifts of sanity, sobriety, and serenity—are entirely bestowed on us in the humility and surrender of our spiritual childhood in Christ.

Catholic philosopher Dr. Peter Kreeft teaches us, “The Incarnation is the most incredible, amazing, astonishing, and surprising thing that ever happened. Why did [Christ] do it? Out of love…this ‘emptying’ of himself for us, this humbling, and becoming our servant and our Savior, is not a compromise of his divine glory; it is his glory, for love is the greatest glory” (Food for the Soul: Reflections on the Mass Readings, Cycle C). As we continue our journey of conversion in recovery, let us habitually seek to live the “kenotic ethic,” to love as God loves in self-emptying love. Let us recognize that our glory is entirely born of His glory as we daily take on the “form of a servant” and reject the temptation to “count equality with God a thing to be grasped.”

Reflection Questions

• What does the passage from Philippians in this reflection say to you in your recovery? Do you really believe that the humility, trust, and surrender of your spiritual childhood before God is where your true dignity rests and through which divine power will come?
• Give some examples of how you seek to live the “kenotic ethic” of self-emptying love. How have you learned to take the form of a servant and to no longer consider yourself equal or superior to God?

Daily Mass Readings

First Reading: 1 John 2:18-21
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 96:1-2, 11-12, 13
Gospel: John 1:1-18

Reflection by Pete S.