Readings: Ecclesiasticus 3:17-20,28-29; Hebrews 12:18-19, 22-24; Luke 14:1,7-14
Theme: Humility is the truth about ourselves loved (C. Carey-Elwes)
By Michael McCabe, SMA
Today’s readings invite us to reflect on the virtue of humility. Our first reading from the Book of Ecclesiasticus tells us that the Lord ‘accepts the homage of the humble’ (Ecc 3:20). Therefore, ‘the greater you are the more you should behave humbly’ (Ecc 3:18). Truly great people are humble enough to listen to others and learn from them. The haughty who think they have nothing to learn from others are simply incurable fools. In our gospel reading from Luke, Jesus contrasts the behaviour of the proud fool who grabs the seats of honour at a party, and is ignominiously demoted, with the humble person who takes the lowest place and is promoted to a higher position. The gospel ends with the familiar saying of Jesus: ‘Those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted’ (Lk 14:11).
According to the poet, T.S. Eliot, ‘humility is the most difficult of all virtues to achieve; nothing dies harder than the desire to think well of self’. I agree with the first part of Eliot’s statement but not with the second. Yes, it is difficult to have true humility, but not because we think well of ourselves. To think well of oneself is a healthy desire. The problem for many of us is that we suffer from a poor self-image. We tend to put ourselves down, at least, in our own minds. Marianne Williamson argues that ‘It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves: Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?’
True humility is not playing small out of fear of the gifts God has given us; it is, rather, the honest acceptance of who and what we are as children of God, created in his image and likeness. As St Paul reminds us, ‘We are God’s work of art’ (Eph 2:10). And how could God create anything that was not awesome? Yes, we are awesome creatures of a loving God who formed us with infinite love and care. True humility is recognising and accepting the wonder of our being, and of our giftedness. As the famous spiritual writer, C.S. Lewis stated: ‘Humility is not thinking less of yourself. It is thinking of yourself less’.
What then are we to make of Jesus’ challenge to the Pharisees about their behaviour when invited to a feast? He had noticed how they chose ‘the places of honour’ (Lk 14:7). We could be forgiven for thinking that the reason for this behaviour was their high opinion of themselves, but this is not the case. They chose the seats of honour because they wanted others to think highly of them, which is not the same thing. The desire to appear important in the eyes of others betrays an insecurity that comes from not really appreciating oneself. Those who have a genuine appreciation of their own worth do not need to put themselves ahead of others. Freed from that destructive desire, they can allow others to let their lights shine. And they have no problem taking a back seat when invited to a feast, or imitating the example of the noted British Prime Minister, William Gladstone, in the following true story:
One day Gladstone invited his tenants to dinner. As one would expect, it was an excellent dinner, served in the very best style, complete with napkins and finger bowls. One of the invited guests who had never been to such a dinner before began drinking from his finger bowl. Observing this, some of the other guests began sniggering, whereupon Gladstone immediately lifted his finger bowl and drank from it.
What Jesus is challenging is the Pharisees’ selfishness and small-mindedness. They are ‘full of themselves’ and want to appear important because they do not have a true sense of their own worth as creatures of a loving God. Therefore, they look for, and need, the approval of others. Jesus calls them ‘hypocrites’ who ‘parade their good deeds before people to attract their notice’ and ‘love to say their prayers standing up in the synagogues and at street corners for people to see them’ (Mt 6: 1,5). Do we sometimes behave like them? Do we feel so insecure about our own giftedness that we are constantly seeking the approval of others? Sadly, this approval will never be enough. It cannot make up for our failure to see and accept ourselves as truly blessed and beloved children of God.
Jesus calls us to a higher standard of behaviour than that shown by the Pharisees in today’s gospel, the kind of behaviour that only truly free persons with a healthy self-image can practice: ‘When you give a lunch or a dinner do not ask your friends, brothers, relations, or rich neighbours, for fear they repay your courtesy by inviting you in return. No! When you have a party, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind. That they cannot repay you means that you are fortunate because repayment will be made to you when the virtuous rise again’ (Lk 14:13-14). This is the kind of behaviour that truly humble people practice – behaviour based on seeing the needs of others and tending to them. Let us, then, take up the challenge of Jesus and live our lives in humble service of others, especially those who are least able to repay our love.
Listen to an alternative Homily by Tom Casey, SMA: