The Word of God today reinforces our good efforts to remain steadfast in the Lord and humble always. In the first reading we are presented with the realities we will often have to face. I love this because scripture does not shy away from the raw, unnerving matter which often God allows for in the sanctification of our souls. The reading speaks of: “…trials … adversity… misfortune… the crucible of humiliation…” … in other words, difficult things we will inevitably be invited to deal with in a manner pleasing to God and in so doing, he will bless and protect you. The key to the reading is embracing a humble and contrite heart, steadfast in its perseverance and fidelity to God.
In the gospel, we are told of the classic dispute among the apostles. One would think it must have been concerning who Jesus was, his true identity, or maybe what they would do next as a group, but no. They were concerned about which one among them would be considered the greatest in heaven. Now there’s a few things to point out here.
First, that heaven is real is not even something they feel they have to qualify. Having spent time with Jesus and seeing him speak and the way he loved and the miracles he performed, proved to them that heaven was real. So that’s not even a question.
Secondly, their argument presumes they are excluding every other possibility. They weren’t aware that perhaps the highest place on the podium.. the first place, would be given to the Queen of Heaven, our Mother. There’s great irony indeed in the fact that John and James got their mother to try to convince Jesus to give them the highest positioning in eternal beatitude one to his left and another to his right, as it was a place reserved for Jesus’ own mother. We know this to be true also from the exorcists who convey what has been revealed during sessions of exorcism, namely, that Satan’s eternal fury against our Lady is due to the fact that she was given his #1 spot in heaven and even way surpassed that dignity. Who will be number 1 in heaven among the saints? This was the argument of the apostles.
Jesus brings them down to earth however and reminds them that greatness in heaven is steeped in humility. If we want to be great, we just be a servant to all, just as he came into the world not to be served but to serve and to lay down his life as a ransom for many.
Brothers, let us therefore ask ourselves today: how will we be great in the eyes of God? And aside from all of this, we already rejoice in that we have a Father who loves us notwithstanding where we are at on our spiritual journey and not withstanding how virtuous we currently are even if we have a long way to go. Slowly, surely, but humbly.. is the key.
Not only is the absence of humility the cause of many an empire’s downfall, but it is also the cause of our own downfall, because lurking beneath every sin we commit, if we do enough of a sincere reflection and examination of conscience, we will always find a little bit of pride. Pride is the chief sin by which Satan fell from heaven, it is something he just can’t help trying to impress us with and he continually tries to hypnotize us with it as it continually has held a hold on him and his fellows in arms, the other demons.
Through fire and rain, therefore, valleys and pain, strife and adversity, the Lord gives us opportunities to embrace humility, to practice it, choosing it, over and over again, and through those moments of growth, he prepares us for a life of ministry, and then eventually, for an eternity with him. May our Lady see to it that we get there through his grace and mercy. Amen.
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