Sirach 3:17-18, 20, 28-29
Hebrews 12:18-19, 22-24
Luke 14:1, 7-14
There’s great wisdom in advice advocating humility; we all know and generally dislike people who are arrogant, haughty and full of themselves. We may appear to be humble to others, however, if we need to make a conscious decision to be humble we are not so in our heart. Sometimes, in an effort to either appear humble or coach ourselves into it, we beat ourselves up with the mistakes we’ve made, and faults we possess.
A piece of humility seems to be knowing one’s place, which requires knowledge and acceptance of what or who is ‘above and below.’ This isn’t to suggest that rank ordering is appropriate. If we see the big picture and understand the context of our own strengths and weaknesses, we can find peace within an honest humility.
Verse 24 of the first reading warns us about intellectual pride by exhorting us to not seek what is too sublime. To know what “what is ours to know,” implies a corollary of “knowing what we cannot know.” If we comprehend the status and reality of our place, we will access the knowledge of those who do understand what we do not, and contribute to society the knowledge and skills we do possess.
The writer of Hebrews is also conveying information to us regarding our place. He begins by telling us where it is not; we do not belong to the Old Covenant, but the New. The approach to Sinai, an Old Covenant journey, suggests an experience so intense as to be emotionally disintegrating, while the approach to Heaven has potential to be even more awesome, yet warm and welcoming (1). We can remain humble because we know our place in the Kingdom.
The first reading mentions that almsgiving atones for sin, sin of pride as well as others. All three readings draw a connection between humility and generosity, but the gospel invites us to further examine the motives behind our generosity. We are not earning our place in Heaven by being generous on Earth, we are generous here on Earth, because the Kingdom includes now and here.
Resources:
1- The Interpreters One Volume Commentary on the Bible. Abingdon Press, Nashville, TN. 1971.
Journal Questions:
- Recount a) a time in which you were truly humbled and b) a time when you realized in hindsight that you were not humble.
- Explore an insight, role or perception that you hold and its “place” both in your life and in the communal or societal setting.
- In what ways are you generous? What are the motives behind your generosity?
© 2016 Marilyn MacArthur, all rights reserved
Writing to Pray 