"For everyone who exalts himself
shall be humbled, and he who humbles himself shall be exalted." (Luke 14:7-11)
I heard a terrific
homily from a missionary priest who was visiting our parish years ago. He told us that if we want to become perfect,
the fastest and shortest route is the way of gratitude. It’s similar to shooting an arrow toward a
target.
Gratitude
will keep us honest. It keeps us
humble. We admit whatever we have has
been given us. We accept the reality of
who we are. Like Popeye, “I yam what I yam,
and dat’s what I yam!” That’s good
enough. It doesn’t make sense to exalt
ourselves. I’m grateful to God to be who
I am.
I’m not sure
where I first heard it, but there’s a prayer that I try to remember whenever I’m
feeling less than humble: "Everything I am, even the way I am, with all my
gifts of nature and grace, You have given me, Lord. And You are all of it. I offer them back to You to praise You, to
help others, and myself."
This is precisely
what Jesus did, as we acknowledge at every Sacrifice of the Mass when the priest
elevates the consecrated Host (Jesus Christ—Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity) and
says, "Through him, with him, in him, in the unity of
the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is yours, Almighty Father, for ever and
ever."
Awareness of
who we are, and grateful for who we are, will keep us humble. At least that’s my confident hope and prayer.
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