Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time
Both the first reading and the Gospel speak about humility. The first reading, from the Book of Sirach, is typical of the other books of wisdom, containing advice about human behavior. How should one conduct oneself?
The wise person has a realistic picture of oneself and one’s world. Don’t think of yourself as more important than others. “Conduct your affairs with humility, and you will be loved more than a giver of gifts. Humble yourself the more, the greater you are, and you will find favor with God.”
In the Gospel, Jesus recommends humility by encouraging us not to seek out the place of honor when we are invited to a wedding banquet. The person who does that fails in humility.
The opposite of humility is often called “covetousness.” St. Thomas Aquinas wrote that covetousness is grasping after things that are meant to insure one’s status and the sense of one’s importance. What Aquinas called covetousness, counselors and spiritual directors today often name as narcissism—thinking how much notice, appreciation or praise this action will bring me. Narcissistic persons have an inflated sense of their own importance, a deep need for excessive attention and admiration, and a lack of empathy for others.
The clear antidote to this is imitation of Jesus—meek and humble of heart. Jesus came not to do his own will, but the will of His Father.
Humility is a central virtue for St. Benedict in his Rule. It’s the longest chapter by far! St. Benedict wrote that there are twelve steps to climb as one strives to develop the virtue of humility. Yes, he described these twelve steps in the sixth century, long before anyone dreamt of Alcoholics Anonymous!
The first step of humility is this: totally shun forgetfulness. Always remember what God has done for you, how much God loves you. Remember, remember, don’t forget!
What do we remember about Jesus? How he gave his Body for us; how he poured out his Blood for us, how he handed himself over for the Church, his bride, to sanctify her, cleansing her by the bath of water with the word (see Ephesians 5).
Jesus “humbled himself becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:8).
St. Benedict reminds the monk, and all of us, that “after ascending all the steps of humility, the monk will arrive at that perfect love of God which casts out fear” (RB 7:67).
Reflection: Do I have an inflated sense of my own importance? Do I remember that everything I have and do is a gift from God?
Reflection by Archbishop Jerome Hanus, OSB
Posted in Articles for Ordinary Time, Daily Reflections