Benedictine Sisters of FL

Holy Name Monastery
Founded 1889

hebrews

Humble Yourself the More, the Greater You Are

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Yesterday’s reading from Sirach addresses us thus: “My child, conduct your affairs with humility.  Humble yourself the more, the greater you are. And you will find favor with God.”  So, how can one develop humility without becoming proud of how humble you are?

In practical everyday terms how can we recognize this amazing quality of humility?  How can you develop this wonderful trait?  We know we can quickly spot what it is NOT.  It is not judgmental, does not have room for vanity.  The one who is humble is not self-consumed, is not a door mat, is not rough with others but treasures and respects the value of all persons.

Benedict, in the Prologue and opening chapters of the Rule, prescribes humility as an essential quality of monastics in community.  He speaks of the necessity for humility for the superior and sub-prioress, the artisans, the cellarer, the readers, visiting clerics and relationships with each other in community.  He helps us recognize the role of humility in perfect love when we make satisfaction for mistakes, for broken dishes and tools, in our acceptance of what the cook offers and what the superior supplies for the members, when we consciously blend voices with others in communal prayer and graciously receive guests who share our monastic space.

Let’s look at three proven hindrances to growth in humility.

PRIDE – which focuses on self rather than others.  Listen to yourself.  How often do you start a conversation with “I”?

INSECURITY and/or OVER-CONFIDENCE – Both are forms of unhealthy self-centeredness and oppose humility because these people spend too much time “navel gazing” – examining themselves. Can you graciously digest criticism and suggestions without scrambling to justify your action or point a finger at what someone else did?  Do you smile and accept a compliment without downplaying its value with a comment like: “This old dress?  I got it long ago at Daystar.” or “Oh, it was nothing. There’s an app that does all the work.”   “The project turned out OK but it wasn’t my best.”

SELFISHNESS – As long as you focus exclusively on your own perceived personal needs and desires – forget the idea of humility – it will only be a distant dream.  Remember Benedict’s advice: “Pursue what you judge better for someone else, love humbly and prefer nothing whatever to Christ.”

The practice of humility begins in little everyday ways:

+  The words we speak: no boasting, bragging or pushing your opinion down others’ throats.

+ The way you treat others: not looking for choice places at table or seeking to rub shoulders with only the rich and famous but treating each person as one of value.

+ How you treat yourself. The humble person values herself and her abilities.  She does not spoil herself, is not self-centered; refrains from superficial behavior, is not obsessed with her appearance, her likes and dislikes, her opinions or material possessions.

What begins as a single humble act multiplies, and becomes a life-long, positive habit that impacts not only your own life, but the lives of those around you.

So, in real life what does humility look like?

  • Humble people handle challenging situations with a sense of peace because they RESPOND rather than REACT to life’s challenges.
  • The humble person focuses on service to others and not her own problems, weaknesses, health or likes and dislikes.
  • Humble people are good at networking because they attract others by making them feel comfortable, wanted and valued.
  • Humble people are wise because they listen well, do not speak impulsively and value what words they do share.
  • Humble persons are perceived as trustworthy because their goals are not self-motivated.
  • Humble persons create loyalty because they take pleasure in the successes of others.

It goes without saying that practice of humility requires sacrificing pride and moving out of your “comfort zone.”  It takes a complete a turn-around from self-centeredness.  Humility is not popular in today’s world so dare to be different.  The benefits are worth any cost: healthier relationships, mutual respect, wisdom and a quiet peace.

 

~by Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB

 

First Reading  Sirach 3:17-18, 20, 28-29      
Second Reading  Hebrews 12:18-19;22-24
Gospel Reading  Luke 14: 1, 7-14
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Knock at the Door Saying “Lord, Open to Us”

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This Gospel from Luke’s memory, it seems to me, is one of those times when Jesus takes a circular route to answer a question from the crowd.  Instead of a direct answer Jesus seems to be avoiding the question.  Did He consider it of no merit?  Or was He giving us time to let the answer we’d heard before rise to the surface? If we place the question in the Gospel side by side with the words of Isaiah in the first reading, we’ll realize how generous divine hospitality is. The question from the crowd was, “Will only a few people be saved?”   We find reassurance spoke through the mouth of the prophet Isaiah. “I come to gather peoples of every language, from the distant coastlands, from all nations, brothers and sisters.”

Jesus gets to the crux of the question by telling the hearers not to be headcounters but to be personally concerned how to be saved.  Enter through the narrow gate, be strong when you knock, make your presence known at the Lord’s banquet table!   Make friends with the prophets, associate with people from every corner of the world and don’t be concerned with where you are in line.  This past week we heard Jesus say that the first shall be last; the last will get the same reward as those who signed on to Jesus’ work crew early in the day.  So, you don’t need to call DIBS on first place in line.  The important thing is to be IN the line.

Saying “be in the line” brings a flashback of how expressions can have different meanings especially to young children and language learners.  At the beginning of a new term, when I would direct the youngsters “line up to go to outside” I could find those new to the group in the middle of the classroom quietly waiting on the taped story-time circle on the floor, or near the clothesline in the housekeeping area looking puzzled at the children gathered near the exit door.  Lesson: be sure you know which is the line where Jesus will be looking for you to join.

Tomorrow’s reading from Paul’s Letter to the Hebrews offers us some tips to prepare for the heaven’s entry door: do not lose heart, joyfully accept discipline, strengthen your drooping hands and your weak knees; straighten your crooked paths, be careful not to turn your ankle or trip up anyone else.   Jesus expands the picture. He says people will come from the east and the west, the north and the south.  This connects with our prayer intention for this week: God’s blessing on the new school year at Saint Leo University.  We pray for the students coming from all over the U.S. and from several foreign countries; for the administration, the faculty and staff; the board, donors and patrons.

Jesus’ answer to the crowd lets us know that the “door of opportunity” will not remain open indefinitely.  Remember Jesus said: “When once the head of the house has risen and shut the door, you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us’.  When the door is closed, it is closed and will not be reopened for persons whose only claim is a false one of entitlement that Jesus once visited their temple, their church or chapel, their town or village or preached in their streets or that they once saw Jesus in a crowd.   Remember the 10 virgins?  Five missed the boat due to a lack of future planning, having a Plan B and foreseeing consequences.

The gift of the Open Door is pure gift. Have we had sincere encounters that He will he answer us, ‘I do not know where you come from.”  It’s best not to delay your planning to be among the chosen. Don’t put off to tomorrow what can be done today.  Lectio and personal prayer; some form of fasting whether from food, or technology or juicy gossip is a daily opportunity.  And, look again at what Isaiah instructs us to do: “Bring all your brothers and sisters from all the nations as an offering to the Lord.”  In the words of the Responsorial Psalm: “Steadfast is the kindness of the Lord toward us, and the fidelity of the Lord endures forever.”

~by Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB

 

First Reading  Isaiah 66:18-21    

Second Reading  Hebrews 12:5-7, 11-13
Gospel Reading  Luke 13:22-30

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Stay Awake and Be Ready

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It strikes me that the three readings for this weekend give us a powerful image of not only early Christian living but one that we can depend on to this day.

The first passage that jumped out is found in the aptly titled “The Book of Wisdom.”  We are let in on a secret: “the holy children of the good were offering sacrifice.”  In religious houses, in parishes, not just Catholics, but all over the world, God’s faithful are quietly, unpretentiously, without fanfare offering prayer and good deeds on behalf of all God’s people.  The author of the Book of Wisdom promises us thus: they are putting into effect with one accord the divine institution.

Paul reminds the Hebrews (and us) in tomorrow’s 2nd reading: Faith is the realization of what is hoped for, and evidence of things not seen. Here again we are reminded of quiet, unseen, out-of-the-limelight evidence of the “divine institution.”   Paul was referring to the folks traipsing through the desert ages before.  They must have had waves of hopelessness bolstered by waves of hope.  We are reassured by the hopeful words of Paul when he says to us: “They did not receive what had been promised but saw it and greeted it from afar.”  …  Margaret Wheatley in her book TURNING TO ONE ANOTHER describes hope this way: “Hope is not the conviction that something will turn out well, but the certainty that something makes sense regardless of how it turns out.”

How fitting it is that our community intention this week is that “all peoples of the world will be people of peace.”   May they, and all of us, live in hope confident that however things turn out, it makes sense in God’s plan.   Our daily stance must be words of the Gospel Acclamation: “Stay awake and be ready.”

The church offers the choice of dividing the Gospel passage into two sections.  It is the part that may be omitted that tells us: “Much will be required of persons entrusted with much.”  Luke couched that grim reminder with Jesus’ comforting words to his disciples: “Do not be afraid.”  We have been entrusted with so much, individually and collectively, that the words about the reciprocal demand could frighten us into inaction.  Our fears could make us feel that our feeble attempts to bring about peace and compassion and reconciliation are futile.  But we have the assurance of Jesus: Do not be afraid, for your Father is PLEASED to give you the kingdom.  God is more than willing – God is PLEASED to give us the kingdom.   Thus, we must take delight in receiving all that the kingdom has to offer.  Do not be afraid but do be prepared.  Stay awake!  Be prepared to see and greet the kingdom from afar.  Do not be afraid.

 

I will close with an excerpt of Nelson Mandela’s 1994 Inaugural Speech.

(Mandela’s words could be a homily in itself.)

 

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.

Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.

It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.

We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant,

successful, talented and fabulous?

Actually, who are you not to be?

You are a child of God.

Your playing small doesn’t serve the world.

There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking

so that other people won’t feel insecure around you.

We were born to make manifest the glory that is within us,

It’s not just in some of us;

It’s in everyone.

And as we let our own light shine,

We unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.

As we are liberated from our own fear,

Our presence automatically liberates others.

 

~by Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB

 

 

First Reading  Wisdom 18:6-9      Second Reading  Hebrews 11:1-2, 8-19
Gospel Reading  Luke 12:32-48

 

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