Speak Lord: Servant king

His state was divine,
yet Christ Jesus did not cling
to his equality with God
but emptied himself
to assume the condition of a slave
and became as men are;
and being as all men are,
he was humbler yet,
even to accepting death,
death on a cross.
But God raised him high
and gave him the name
which is above all other names
so that all beings
in the heavens, on earth and in the underworld,
should bend the knee at the name of Jesus
and that every tongue should acclaim
Jesus Christ as Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

Second reading for Palm Sunday
Philippians 2:6-11

The hymn from the Letter to the Philippians, quoted by Paul, is amongst the earliest known specifically Christian songs. We have the words but not the music: though maybe in this case maybe the words are the music, music to to give rhythm and pitch and poise and beauty to our lives, as we seek to join in the song and imitate Christ in our daily living…

Mosaic from exterior of Papal Chapel, Lateran Palace. (c) 2016, Allen Morris.