Humility

Readings for Thursday April 29, 2010

First Reading: Acts 13:13-25
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 89
Gospel: John 13:16-20


When Jesus had washed the disciples’ feet, he said to them: “Amen, amen, I say to you, no slave is greater than his master nor any messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you understand this, blessed are you if you do it. I am not speaking of all of you. I know those whom I have chosen. But so that the Scripture might be fulfilled, The one who ate my food has raised his heel against me. From now on I am telling you before it happens, so that when it happens you may believe that I AM. Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.”(Jn 13:16-20)

Don't we all just relish in getting compliments? With each one it seems as though our head gets a little bigger and our confidence more inflated. Now, I am not saying that there is anything wrong with compliments; but if we all others telling us how great we are to make us believe we are great, then there are problems with that. If we allow ourselves to believe that we are great, then we begin to feel as though we are above others, and this is not what Jesus asks of us, He doesn't want us to feel that we are above anyone. He doesn't want us with our head up in the clouds, He wants to be grounded. How is it that we stay grounded? It is only by giving in to the virtue of humility.

In today's gospel, the Lord had just finished washing the disciples feet when He told them; "no slave is greater than his master nor any messenger greater than the one who sent him." The Lord is telling His disciples and us to be grounded in humility. We should not think of ourselves as being so great, even if others say that we are. This is not to say that we should go around thinking that we are miserable and awful people all the time; because we should stay confident. But by embracing humility, we are recognizing our place, while we are still confident, we realize that our confidence lies in Christ, our greatness lies in Him. Humility helps us to know our place, to know who we are as sons and daughters of a loving God.

By humbling ourselves and receiving Jesus, we receive the one who sent Him, the Father. By receiving the Father, we can receive the blessings that come with a faithful, humble life.

If we want to see a great example of humility, let us look to the example of our the greatest disciple, our Blessed Mother. Her life and her witness is a great example of courage and humility, one of which we can all learn from.

Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Glory be to the Father, to the Son, to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without end. Amen.