God’s love is calling us to the joys of eternal happiness for the salvation of our souls. You have just listened to the reading from the Apostle in which he says: “Rejoice in the Lord always.” The joys of this world lead to eternal misery, but the joys that are according to the will of the Lord bring those who persevere in them to joys that are enduring and everlasting. The Apostle therefore says: “Again I say: rejoice.”

He urges us to find ever increasing joy in God and in keeping his commandments. The more we try in this world to give ourselves completely to God our Lord by obeying his commands, the greater will be our happiness in the life to come, and the greater the glory that will be ours in the presence of God.

“Let your moderation be known to all.” That is to say, your holiness of life must be evident, not only in the sight of God, but also in the sight of other people. It must give an example of moderation and selfcontrol to all your contemporaries on earth and serve also as a memorial of goodness before God and other people.

“The Lord is near; have no anxiety.” The Lord is always near to all who call upon his help with sincerity, true faith, sure hope, and perfect love. He knows what you need, even before you ask him. He is always ready to come to the aid of all his faithful servants in every need. There is no reason for us to be in a state of great anxiety when evils threaten; we must remember that God is very near us as our protector.

–Ambrose, Bishop of Milan, Commentary on Philippians 1.617-18