Strong in Humility

“Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me;

and whoever receives me, receives not me but the One who sent me.”

First Reading: 1 Wisdom 2:12, 17-20

The wicked say:

Let us beset the just one, because he is obnoxious to us; he sets himself against our  doings, reproaches us for transgressions of the law and charges us with violations of our training. Let us see whether his words be true; let us find out what will happen to him. For if the just one be the son of God, God will defend him and deliver him from the hand of his foes. With revilement and torture let us put the just one to the test that we may have proof of his gentleness and try his patience. Let us condemn him to a shameful death; for according to his own words, God will take care of him.

 Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 54:3-4, 5, 6 and 8

Second Reading:  2 Jamns 3:16—4:3

Beloved:

Where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every foul practice.  But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peaceable, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, without inconstancy or insincerity.  And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace for those who cultivate peace.

Where do the wars and where do the conflicts among you come from?  Is it not from your passions that make war within your members?  You covet but do not possess.  You kill and envy but you cannot obtain; you fight and wage war.  You do not possess because you do not ask.  You ask but do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.

Gospel:  Mark 9:30-37

Jesus and his disciples left from there and began a journey through Galilee, but he did not wish anyone to know about it.  He was teaching his disciples and telling them, “The Son of Man is to be handed over to men and they will kill him, and three days after his death the Son of Man will rise.”  But they did not understand the saying, and they were afraid to question him.

They came to Capernaum and, once inside the house, he began to ask them, “What were you arguing about on the way?”  But they remained silent. They had been discussing among themselves on the way who was the greatest.  Then he sat down, called the Twelve, and said to them, “If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all.”  Taking a child, he placed it in the their midst, and putting his arms around it, he said to them, “Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me; and whoever receives me, receives not me but the One who sent me.”

Reflection
by Art Reyes

In today's Gospel, Jesus talks and predicts about His passion, death, and resurrection to His disciples. Jesus also asked His disciples a question that they have difficulty answering. Maybe because to their shame, they were discussing who the greatest is among themselves. To the surprise of everyone, Jesus calls forward a child and teaches the Twelve that to receive a child in Jesus' name is to receive Jesus and the One who sent Him.

  

"If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all." This is a very striking message because it talks about power and humility. How could be the last be the first? And how could a child innocent, playful and all be the key to receiving our Lord? The Word of God is very profound, isn't it? It is mysterious and yet the message is simple if we only open our hearts.

  

I have a friend who is an avid hiker who told me that it is harder to go down than go up the hill. I was surprised by that statement and did not believe him so I tried it myself and was proven wrong. It is indeed more difficult to go down than to hike up. So too in life, I realized when reading the Gospel as it talks about humility. How easy is it to go up and become proud and arrogant, and how difficult it is to become humble?

Maybe some of us who have amassed wealth and power through our hard work and determination, have a tendency to become proud. I think there is nothing wrong with feeling deep pleasure over our own achievements as it is normal to human. However, when we rely on our own success and resources instead of relying on God’s grace, we become arrogant, shallow, and uncaring. It is believed that pride is the evil's greatest instrument for our perdition so he makes use of it. The evil utilizes it so effectively that we do not realize that we are already into it. It does not happen overnight, it slowly eats the goodness in our heart.

Humility is not a giving up, but rather, a giving in. We do not give up our achievements to be humble but we can humble ourselves to the Lord by sharing our talents and resources to the least of our brothers. Humility is the truest form of honesty because it sees our weaknesses and vulnerabilities and it allows God to transform our weaknesses into strengths. 

We are nothing, God is everything. But, in our nothingness, God gives us everything.

Prayer

Jesus, grant us the virtue of true humility that we may never by our pride offend You, but rather by our meekness receive the riches of Your grace. Show us how to be humble of heart. Amen.