Humility provides freedom from self

There is a story of a family shopping in a grocery store. As they walked down the aisles, the moment was abruptly interrupted by a loud smash. Junior dropped a glass bottle of vinegar on the floor while trying to reach for it as he was pulling it off the shelf. He began crying. Having a bad day, Mom towered over him. She said again and again, pick up those pieces. With each command, Junior became more rebellious in his tears. The father stood by, enjoying neutrality, waiting as he ignored both of their cases.

 

Her thoughts: “This boy is just like his father: stubborn and self-willed.” And his: just like his mother’s family, always making a show of authority.” Leaving the spill, the mother left the store and dragged her son to his room. Who’s the winner? Nobody!

 

In the Gospel, Luke 14: 1, 7-14, which will be read at Sunday worship in many places this weekend, Jesus speaks about not being eager to place oneself in high places at a banquet. His message? A humble soul always enjoys the esteem of others. This virtue, which has been called the highest of all human virtues, is sometimes confused with timidity, to think less of oneself, or to lower oneself. True humility is that disposition of soul that simply rejoices in the truth: our place before God and our place with each other. When we learn to accept things for what they really are, this also leads to authenticity, or becoming genuine. A humble soul leads to love. Why? Because “Love rejoices in the truth, for it finds joy in what is right and just” (1 Corr. 13:6).

 

The opposite of humility is pride, which quickly leads to the unforgivable sin of a hardened heart. The fallen angels would not serve, would not acknowledge the truth. As a result, they were seen falling like lightning from the sky (Lk: 10:8).

 

Humility, C.S. Lewis tells us, provides freedom from self-centeredness. It is not about thinking less of oneself, but about thinking of oneself less. “For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it” (Mk 3:35). This is one of the paradoxes of Christianity: in the cross, Jesus loses everything so that all may be gained. Although our own crosses can be painful, Saint Paul tells us: “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? … No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us” (Rom. 8: 35-38).

 

As we continue our Christian journey, let us ask ourselves how humility is, or is not, practiced in our own lives. Can we set ourselves aside to be attentive to God and those around us? Can we think of ourselves less, rather than think less of ourselves? The parents in our story were unable to see the child’s actions as a mere accident; it infringed on their day, on the embarrassment of a broken jar in the grocery store. In truth, it was a curious child with no bad intent. It was just an accident.

 

God is truth, He is humility itself. In His Incarnation, he made Himself vulnerable to the world. In washing the feet of his disciples, he demonstrated that no person is above service. In his dying on the cross, he reveals his undying love to us. Jesus waits for us when we are slow to respond, he walks with us when we need him near, he seeks our welfare in times of danger.