Kenosis

Kenosis. Self-emptying. That is what God did in Christ Jesus. He divested himself of divine right and became human; with all our human frailties and limitations.

Jesus, the man, the human being, gave up, according to the will of the Father, all rank and privilege of the godhead in order that he might be human.

This self-emptying of Jesus manifested itself in his life on earth through his self-giving. He did not live for himself, but gave his entire life for the life of all mankind. Not only in a cosmic way, redeeming the human race, but also in particular ways such as loving his friends, caring for the poor and destitute, feeding the hungry, calming the anxious, healing the sick.

We can talk about the “cosmic” redemption of Christ until we are blue in the face, but until we begin our own self-giving we know nothing of his Kenosis. Until we care for the poor, clothe the naked, feed the hungry, we don’t know anything about Jesus.