Who among us wants to be known as a condescending person? I suspect that the likely answer is “no one among us.” In modern American English usage it has an almost exclusively negative connotation. Merriam-Webster definition of condescending is “showing or characterized by a patronizing or superior attitude toward others; showing that you believe you are more intelligent or better than other people.” In other words, a condescending person probably thinks that we should be considered honored that they would stoop from their position of power, privilege, and prestige to speak to us. I mean, really, is there a world in which being condescending is something we would want to imitate?

It is interesting how the word “condescending” came to mean that. The word comes from the from Latin con– (“together”) + descendere (“to come down”). In middle French and old English it meant to graciously give, to grant a right or privilege, benefit, or outcome.

Think about this older, positive meaning – and hear again the opening words of the 2^nd reading: “Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross.”

The Word of the Living God condescendere. He stepped down from that exalted position of honor. He stepped down from his Glory to be with us, to be with us in our humanity, to graciously give redemption. There is even a part of the Mass that speaks to this. Sadly the rubrics for the Mass tell the priest to say this quietly – for my own part I can not imagine why. You know the part when preparing the gifts, the priest pours a little water in to the wine? The words prayed are amazing, stunning, even breathtaking. “Through the mystery of this water and wine, may we come to share in the divinity of Christ who came to share in our humanity.” Wow…. God stepping down to be with us and to open the gateway to somehow, mysteriously, mystically, share in the divinity of Christ. Thanks be to God that God is indeed condescending.

(And almost like a TV infomercial) “But wait, there’s more!!”

But Jesus continued to condescendere, wrapping an apron around his waist at the Last Supper in order to wash the feet of his disciples. Not looking at us eye-to-eye, but looking up from a posture of service: “Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave.” Reaching up to us from the posture of a servant, serving in obedience to his heavenly Father, obedient to death, even death on a cross.

Is there a world in which being condescending is something we would want to imitate? Indeed there is.

Jesus remade this world to be one in which being condescending is something we would want to imitate – in fact called to imitate. With the grace of God, we are called be condescending in imitation of Christ. In the vows of our baptism we are called to die with Christ and with Christ to be raised to new life. Part and parcel of that new life is the call to serve as Christ served. The call to step down and serve, is pretty consistent in Scripture. Consider 1 Peter 4:10 “As each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of God’s varied grace”

Everyone has received a gracious gift from God. Everyone is called to serve. But wait there’s more!

The fullness of that call to service also considers the posture of service. What is the posture we assume when we serve? Is it condescending in a modern, negative sense? Is it that we deign to let our presence and the wonderfulness of us be among the “little people?” Is it laced with “I have better things to do; you should be grateful that I am here at all.” I suspect we are not like that, but maybe our service is unknowingly the posture and tone of indifference, distracted, busy, or simply “what’s next on the list?”

When we serve another person how is it that we should imitate Christ? What would our Christian service look like on our best day? Yes, we should serve with humility knowing that what we do is small potatoes compared to what Christ has done for us. Yes, we should serve in gratitude and more. But it seems to me a critical part of serving, of imitating Christ, is to seek out the way to take that next step to condescendere, to step down to be with the other.

Consider the life of Mother Theresa – stepping down from a comfortable, secure position in an exclusive girl’s school in Calcutta, to be with and serve the poor. Vincent de Paul – a similar story. Francis of Assisi, stepping down to embrace and to serve the lepers. What will be our story? What will be our next step?

Christ has done his part, sharing fully in our humanity, like us in all things except sin.

Our part is to begin to share in that divinity through our imitation of Christ. To step down in order to be with others, to put on the apron of service that we may come to imitate Christ. That is a challenge to figure out your next step that you may serve using your God-given gifts

These are things to take into prayer, to discern in the context of your life, to intentionally work out. All steps in the journey.

But in this moment, begin by knowing how Jesus serves you, reaching up to you, offering His precious Body and Blood, serving that you may mysteriously, mystically, share in the divinity of Christ.

Receive the gift of the Eucharist.

Then go into the world, your life, to serve as Christ has served you.