Humility Without Masks: Seeing Ourselves as God Sees Us

Jesus' parable of the guests invited to the marriage feast probes our motives for seeking honour and position. Selfpromotion is most often achieved at the expense of others! Today’s readings call us to be humble. What is true humility and why should we make it a characteristic mark of our life and action? True humility is not feeling bad about yourself, or having a low opinion of yourself, or thinking of yourself as inferior to others. True humility frees us from preoccupation with ourselves, whereas a low self-opinion tends to focus our attention on ourselves. Humility is truth in self-understanding and truth in action. Viewing ourselves truthfully, with sober judgment, means seeing ourselves the way God sees us (Psalm 139:1-4). A humble person makes a realistic assessment of himself or herself without illusion or pretence to be something he or she is not. The humble regard themselves neither smaller nor larger than they truly are. True humility frees us to be our true selves and to avoid despair and pride. A humble person does not have to wear a mask or put on a facade in order to look good to others, especially to those who are not really familiar with that person. The humble are not swayed by accidentals, such as fame, reputation, success, or failure. People, who open their hearts to God, assume the attitude of humility as their Lord and become wonderful instruments of God’s love for people. A Saint Redemptorist who died in 1820 in Vienna, St. Clement Maria Hofbauer, one day was collecting money for his orphans. When he entered one tavern to ask for money, a customer spat him in face. “This was for me and rightly so!” – said St. Clement – “but now, I beg you, give something for my orphans!” His biographers tell us that this customer was so impressed by the humbleness of this saint man that he changed his life and became a great benefactor. The Lord Jesus gives grace to those who seek him humbly. Do you want to be a humble servant as Jesus served?

Fr. Janusz Roginski S.A.C.