Commentary on the Gospel of
THOSE WHO EXALT THEMSELVES WILL BE HUMBLED; THOSE WHO HUMBLE THEMSELVES WILL BE EXALTED
Jesus never tires of exhorting his disciples to be humble. He reminds them of this on many occasions. He warned the sons of Zebedee against aspiring for high positions. He related the story of the Pharisee and the Publican to illustrate this truism. He gave an object lesson of this when he washed the feet of the apostles. He reverses the world’s idea of greatness by saying that the greatest should be the servant of all. But the ego can be very wily. It can insinuate itself even in humility. There is a phrase “humility with a hook” meaning you put on a humble mien so people can admire your humility. There is a false humility when we deprecate ourselves so that people will contradict us and say the opposite. One can be proud of being humble. Perhaps the basis for true humility is a realistic self-knowledge and a conscious self-acceptance. So one does not underestimate or overestimate oneself. One recognizes one’s gifts and uses them for the good. But one is also conscious of one’s limitations and “does not bite more than one can chew” Lord, help us to really know and accept ourselves and give us the grace to be authentically humble.
