May 21, 2024 - Tue. of 7th Week in Ord. Time (Opt. Mem. of St. Cristobal Magallanes and Companions)
May you continue to humble yourself in the sight of the Lord Jesus so that you can experience GOD lifting you up to your status as the beloved Child of a loving GOD.
As I look back at the time when I have seen children as they grow up, there I recall a time when they exhibited a sense of peace and calm and enjoyed being in the presence of their parents. They seemed confident of who they were in their parents’ sight and enjoyed doing right because they knew mom and dad were pleased with them. They had a humble spirit and were not into impressing others. It was truly a special time in their maturation. And in many ways, they once again exhibit these same qualities in their late twenties and early thirties.
GOD desires that we have a spirit of humility and trust fully in the Lord Jesus and focus on our relationship not only with the Triune GOD but with other people, putting others and their concerns above our own interest.
May you continue to humble yourself in the sight of the Lord Jesus so that you can experience GOD lifting you up to your status as the beloved Child of a loving GOD.
As I look back at the time when I have seen children as they grow up, there I recall a time when they exhibited a sense of peace and calm and enjoyed being in the presence of their parents. They seemed confident of who they were in their parents’ sight and enjoyed doing right because they knew mom and dad were pleased with them. They had a humble spirit and were not into impressing others. It was truly a special time in their maturation. And in many ways, they once again exhibit these same qualities in their late twenties and early thirties.
GOD desires that we have a spirit of humility and trust fully in the Lord Jesus and focus on our relationship not only with the Triune GOD but with other people, putting others and their concerns above our own interest.
Readings can be obtained from: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/052124.cfm
St. Cristóbal Magallanes et al.:
https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saint-cristobal-magallanes-and-companions
Readings: James 4: 1-10; Psalm 55: 7-8, 9-10a, 10b-11a, 23; Mark 9: 30-37
Humility seems to be one theme that runs through our readings today. In the First Reading, St. James exhorts his listeners/readers to humble themselves in the sight of GOD, and GOD will take care of them and exalt them (lift them up). Jesus in the Gospel proclaims that if one wishes to be first, then one needs to think of oneself as last and servant of all.
Humility is not the false sense that one has no value. A person who is truly humble will be aware of her/his own charisms (talents – abilities – gifts from GOD) and will use them for the sake of others. There are two opposites to being humble: arrogance and self-pity. Both show lack of a person’s awareness of his/her relationship with GOD.
The arrogant person is “me-centered.” All the arrogant can think of is themselves. James mentions some of the characteristic of the arrogant: always in conflicts with others, covetous, envious, asking wrongly, seeking to please only themselves. The apostles in today’s Gospel are guilty of this, for as they are journeying along, they are arguing over who is
the greatest, and when Jesus asks them what they had been discussing, they remain silent, for they know their behavior is not pleasing to Jesus.
The other opposite of being humble is self-pity. The people who are absorbed with this quality are also “me- centered.” The “me” they are centered on is “poor me.” They wallow in their own poor situation. They want others to have sympathy for them. They also do not ask GOD in a proper way because they do not acknowledge the gifts and talents GOD has given them already, and therefore they do not receive what more GOD is willing to give them.
The attitude GOD wants us to have is that of being humble – acknowledging who we are in the sight of GOD. It is a submitting of all that we are – to a loving GOD. As we humble ourselves in the sight of GOD, we allow GOD to lift us up. It is the complete trust and surrender to a loving Parent. Thus, Jesus brings a little child in front of His disciples and tells them to be like the child and accept the child as the child is. Children, in their innocence, have a simple, trusting attitude. They have complete faith in those who love them. They do not worry about anything or anybody as long as they sense the love and security provided by their loving parents. Happy and joyful children also seek to do what pleases their caring parents.
This is the attitude that we are called to have if we are going to be disciples of the Lord Jesus. We need to humbly, joyfully come before the One Whom Jesus calls Abba-Father, Who also happens to be GOD. We need to realize the depths to which we are loved, the protection in which we are enveloped, and the gifts with which we are enriched. That will lead us to wanting to please the One Who loves, protects, and gifts us. We will seek to be servants of others, for we
know that is what our loving Provider asks of us.
One help might be Mother Teresa’s Humility List which is to the right. Look over the list and see which one of the fifteen suggestions you might need to work on and then start practicing that suggestion.
Another assistance to focusing on humility is the words of the song, “Humble thyself in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up – higher and higher.” These words [see below Song of the Day] speak about what I have been talking about. Those who are not humble, whether they are arrogant or self-pitying, cannot be lifted up. Those who humbly acknowledge who they are in GOD’s sight will be exalted far beyond what they could ever imagine. Or to put it in the words of the psalmist today: “Cast your care upon the LORD, and the LORD will support you; never will GOD permit the just to be disturbed.”
Blessed are You, LORD GOD, ever loving and caring. Through Your GOoDness, You ask us to turn to You and humble ourselves in Your sight. At times we have chosen to focus our attention on ourselves in a selfish, arrogant manner. At other times we have decided to wallow in the mud of self-pity, beating our breasts and crying out, “Poor me! Poor me!” – hoping that others will have pity on us, but failing to turn to the One Who can truly lift us up. Through Your Son, You have invited us to accept the charisms (gifts and abilities) that You have given us and to focus on You and the others with whom we come in contact as we journey along the path to You. You promise that if we honestly and humbly come into Your sight, giving You all the glory and praise as we serve those whom You have placed in our path, that You will exalt (lift us up, higher and higher) until we reach the splendor of Your dwelling place. Continue to pour out Your Holy Spirit upon us with wisdom and understanding so we can be loving servants. We make this humble prayer, trusting and believing in the power of the name of Your Son, Jesus, for He is our Master-Teacher, our Brother and Savior, Who is living and reigning with You and the Holy Spirit, our one and only GOD, for ever and ever. Amen.
Song of the Day: Humbly Thyself in the Sight of the Lord:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sU8MAQKSbEI
Cry for Humility: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZcTQ2RoXO0
Video of the Day: St. Cristobal Magalles: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_A8c4boIwmg
© rjk, 12-14-22
St. Cristóbal Magallanes et al.:
https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saint-cristobal-magallanes-and-companions
Readings: James 4: 1-10; Psalm 55: 7-8, 9-10a, 10b-11a, 23; Mark 9: 30-37
Humility seems to be one theme that runs through our readings today. In the First Reading, St. James exhorts his listeners/readers to humble themselves in the sight of GOD, and GOD will take care of them and exalt them (lift them up). Jesus in the Gospel proclaims that if one wishes to be first, then one needs to think of oneself as last and servant of all.
Humility is not the false sense that one has no value. A person who is truly humble will be aware of her/his own charisms (talents – abilities – gifts from GOD) and will use them for the sake of others. There are two opposites to being humble: arrogance and self-pity. Both show lack of a person’s awareness of his/her relationship with GOD.
The arrogant person is “me-centered.” All the arrogant can think of is themselves. James mentions some of the characteristic of the arrogant: always in conflicts with others, covetous, envious, asking wrongly, seeking to please only themselves. The apostles in today’s Gospel are guilty of this, for as they are journeying along, they are arguing over who is
the greatest, and when Jesus asks them what they had been discussing, they remain silent, for they know their behavior is not pleasing to Jesus.
The other opposite of being humble is self-pity. The people who are absorbed with this quality are also “me- centered.” The “me” they are centered on is “poor me.” They wallow in their own poor situation. They want others to have sympathy for them. They also do not ask GOD in a proper way because they do not acknowledge the gifts and talents GOD has given them already, and therefore they do not receive what more GOD is willing to give them.
The attitude GOD wants us to have is that of being humble – acknowledging who we are in the sight of GOD. It is a submitting of all that we are – to a loving GOD. As we humble ourselves in the sight of GOD, we allow GOD to lift us up. It is the complete trust and surrender to a loving Parent. Thus, Jesus brings a little child in front of His disciples and tells them to be like the child and accept the child as the child is. Children, in their innocence, have a simple, trusting attitude. They have complete faith in those who love them. They do not worry about anything or anybody as long as they sense the love and security provided by their loving parents. Happy and joyful children also seek to do what pleases their caring parents.
This is the attitude that we are called to have if we are going to be disciples of the Lord Jesus. We need to humbly, joyfully come before the One Whom Jesus calls Abba-Father, Who also happens to be GOD. We need to realize the depths to which we are loved, the protection in which we are enveloped, and the gifts with which we are enriched. That will lead us to wanting to please the One Who loves, protects, and gifts us. We will seek to be servants of others, for we
know that is what our loving Provider asks of us.
One help might be Mother Teresa’s Humility List which is to the right. Look over the list and see which one of the fifteen suggestions you might need to work on and then start practicing that suggestion.
Another assistance to focusing on humility is the words of the song, “Humble thyself in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up – higher and higher.” These words [see below Song of the Day] speak about what I have been talking about. Those who are not humble, whether they are arrogant or self-pitying, cannot be lifted up. Those who humbly acknowledge who they are in GOD’s sight will be exalted far beyond what they could ever imagine. Or to put it in the words of the psalmist today: “Cast your care upon the LORD, and the LORD will support you; never will GOD permit the just to be disturbed.”
- The personal question/action for today: What are my thoughts about being humble? Do I sometimes come across to others as being arrogant? Do I sometimes present myself in a self-pitying way? What can I do to be more humble in the sight of GOD?
Blessed are You, LORD GOD, ever loving and caring. Through Your GOoDness, You ask us to turn to You and humble ourselves in Your sight. At times we have chosen to focus our attention on ourselves in a selfish, arrogant manner. At other times we have decided to wallow in the mud of self-pity, beating our breasts and crying out, “Poor me! Poor me!” – hoping that others will have pity on us, but failing to turn to the One Who can truly lift us up. Through Your Son, You have invited us to accept the charisms (gifts and abilities) that You have given us and to focus on You and the others with whom we come in contact as we journey along the path to You. You promise that if we honestly and humbly come into Your sight, giving You all the glory and praise as we serve those whom You have placed in our path, that You will exalt (lift us up, higher and higher) until we reach the splendor of Your dwelling place. Continue to pour out Your Holy Spirit upon us with wisdom and understanding so we can be loving servants. We make this humble prayer, trusting and believing in the power of the name of Your Son, Jesus, for He is our Master-Teacher, our Brother and Savior, Who is living and reigning with You and the Holy Spirit, our one and only GOD, for ever and ever. Amen.
Song of the Day: Humbly Thyself in the Sight of the Lord:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sU8MAQKSbEI
Cry for Humility: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZcTQ2RoXO0
Video of the Day: St. Cristobal Magalles: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_A8c4boIwmg
© rjk, 12-14-22