The Joyous Apostle: Philippians 4:10-23, especially vs.10: "I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last your care for me has flourished again...." St. Paul was a joyous man. He rejoiced because of the Lord enabled him to "do all things" (vs. 13), because the Philippians cared for him (vs. 10), and because he knew God would supply all their needs in Christ out of His limitless riches (vs. 19). Joy is a basic and true characteristic of the saintly life, of those in Christ who live as the Apostle Paul did. Let us read today's passage carefully to discern the inner secrets of his rejoicing, so that such a joy may be ours, as well.
As this passage reveals, St. Paul was rejoicing because he was being infused with strength from the Lord Jesus to do everything (vs. 13). He speaks of being strengthened by the Lord. In the original text, the Apostle added a prefix to the word "strengthen," which connotes that it was the Lord Who "put" strength in him, or, in other words, "infused" him with strength.
As a result of the Lord's filling him with Divine power, the Apostle was able to "be content" in whatever state he found himself in life (vs. 11). The word, "content," or "autarkia" in the original, was popular among the Stoic philosophers of Greece for expressing the virtue of "self-sufficiency." St. Paul, however, is clear that his sufficiency had its source in a strength with which the Lord was filling him. His was no "self" sufficiency. He was able to manage in whatever state he found himself, whether abased by circumstances or well furnished in life's necessities (vss. 11-12), because of the power which our God places in His Faithful ones.
Dwelling at all times in joy, because of being strengthened by the Lord, the Apostle also speaks of rejoicing "greatly" because the tangible concern of the Philippians once again had revived on his behalf (vs. 10). On multiple occasions, the Christian community at Philippi, ever following the state of affairs with the Apostle, "shared" in his distress (vs. 14). They did so when he first evangelized them, while planting the Church at Philippi (Phil. 1:5), and then twice again - after he left them and went to Thessalonica (Phil. 4:16), and at another unnamed time (vs. 15). Besides all those occasions, they had just sent another gift by the hand of Epaphroditus (vs. 18).
St. Paul's joy at the generosity of the Philippians was caused not by what he received, although his needs were very real and the help was truly appreciated (vs. 14). Much more he rejoiced at the tangible evidence of "the fruit that abounds" in a generous people. He was delighted because the Philippians demonstrated that the same Lord Who infused the Apostle with strength was empowering them in generosity. The "fruit" of the Gospel and of the Holy Spirit was "flourishing" in them (vss. 17,10). What makes our Fathers in God happier than to see their sons and daughters in Christ visibly expressing true joy in the generous God Who is Lord of all?
The rejoicing of the Apostle also welled up when he received the gift of the Philippians, for he knew that God would "supply" all their needs in Christ and gloriously so out of God's limitless riches (vs. 19). Is it not this way among us who have known the Lord's hand upon our lives? "When the Lord turned again the captivity of Sion, we became as men that are comforted. Then was our mouth filled with joy, and our tongue with rejoicing" (Ps. 125:1,2 LXX).
When the Apostle speaks of the Lord supplying the Philippians in their needs (Phil. 4:19), he hardly is limiting this to their material necessities. The greatest joy of the life in Christ comes when God works His miracles in hearts and souls, when He supplies His Beloved with His graces of forgiveness, repentance, and the illumination of the Holy Spirit.
O Father of all mercies, receive our humble, joyous thanks for all that Thou has given us, but above all for Thine inestimable love in the salvation of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ.