On the fifth Sunday of Lent, Rev. Cari preached on Philippians 3:4b-14. She opens with a reference to Paul’s metaphor of “running the race” (and a confession that she is no runner, herself).

But soon she jumps into the meat of the text, sharing a perspective from Fr. Richard Rohr: Paul says Jesus offers the world a “third way” to resolve the cultural-religious conflicts of any time. And that way is nondual (or both-and) thinking.

The key question, for Paul, and for us, is “What will help us make sense of the tragedy of life?” And Paul, with this letter to his beloved friends in Philippi, answers clearly that the cross of Christ, with its paradoxical embrace (and transforming into life, not death) points to the answer.