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Gospel: Matthew 23: 1-12
Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, saying,
“The scribes and the Pharisees
have taken their seat on the chair of Moses.
Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you,
but do not follow their example.
For they preach but they do not practice.
They tie up heavy burdens hard to carry
and lay them on people’s shoulders,
but they will not lift a finger to move them.
All their works are performed to be seen.
They widen their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels.
They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in synagogues,
greetings in marketplaces, and the salutation ‘Rabbi.’
As for you, do not be called ‘Rabbi.’
You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers.
Call no one on earth your father;
you have but one Father in heaven.
Do not be called ‘Master’;
you have but one master, the Christ.
The greatest among you must be your servant.
Whoever exalts himself will be humbled;
but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
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A few years ago, I traveled to Ireland with a friend. While there, we celebrated Mass in his hometown church, a tiny chapel perched on a hill.
Walking in for the first time, I noticed something unusual… each pew had a name plate on it. Processing down the aisle you could read them all: “O’Callaghan. O’Connor. Murphy. Duffy. Doyle.”
When I asked “why,” he said the pews dated back to when the chapel was built. Each pew was auctioned off as a fundraiser. The last pew went to the highest bidder – and the first pew went to the lowest bidder.
“But why would someone pay to have a back row seat?” I asked him.
“If you’re in the front, then everyone can see you’re there. If you’re in the back, then no one will see you. Why would someone pay such a steep price for a hidden seat?”
He winked at me and said, “Humility.”
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In today’s Gospel, Jesus says, “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
What, exactly, is “humility”?
The word “humility” comes from the Latin, humus, meaning earth.
A humble person is well-grounded; their feet firmly planted, allowing them to stand – neither above nor below – but shoulder to shoulder with their neighbor, regardless of who the person is. Humble people make you feel comfortable in your own skin.
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Perhaps the best applied definition of humility I’ve heard comes from C.S. Lewis, who said, “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself – less.”
Humility is thinking of yourself… less.
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Consider a few examples.
“Humility” is the mother who makes due with less fashionable clothing so that her children may not be out of style.
She is the best-dressed woman in the kingdom of God.
It’s the father who forgoes a round of golf to attend his child’s sports game. He is better than par as a dad… and a Christian.
It’s the co-worker who concedes a trivial argument to promote peace in the workplace. That person is always right before God.
It’s the athlete who’s learned how to cheer for the winner, even while standing in second place. That person receives a heavenly applause.
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The opposite of humility is pride. Pride leaves us seeing ourselves as taller, or more important than others.
That is the behavior Jesus condemns in today’s Gospel. The scribes and Pharisees have made religion unattractive and inaccessible to ordinary people because of their egos.
“They widen their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels,” Jesus says.
A phylactery is a leather box that Jewish men wear on their arm and forehead during prayer. Some of the scribes and Pharisees enlarged their phylacteries to draw attention to themselves, making them appear more devout than others.
What matters is not the box itself, but the scriptures rolled inside. Although the scribes and Pharisees physically bore the Word of God on their bodies, it had not penetrated their hearts; being inwardly changed by scripture demands humility.
I’m sure we can all think of people who still wear religion on their sleeve, as it were, without practicing it themselves.
And, equally, we can think of people who’ve been transformed by grace.
Herein lies the difference between the religious leaders whom Jesus condemns in today’s Gospel and authentic Christians. Whereas the religious leaders sought to draw attention to themselves, we seek to magnify the Lord.
As Saint Paul says, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ living in me.”
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Perhaps the back pews in that church perched on a hill were considered “prime real estate” because everyone could see the lead donor’s name upon entering the church. That person might also have gotten away with being physically absent on a Sunday… or two.
It’s the same sin the scribes and Pharisees are committing in the Gospel – pride.
But the Lord reminds them, and us, “everyone who exalts himself will be humbled. But everyone who humbles himself will be exalted.”
So, how might we be humble – thinking more of God and others, and less about ourselves – this week?
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Image credits: (1) Goal Habits.com (2) Saint John Lutheran Church (3) nfpegado.com
