October 31, 2009
Saturday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time
I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers, so that you will not become wise (in) your own estimation: a hardening has come upon Israel in part, until the full number of the Gentiles comes in, and thus all Israel will be saved, as it is written: "The deliverer will come out of Zion, he will turn away godlessness from Jacob; and this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins." In respect to the gospel, they are enemies on your account; but in respect to election, they are beloved because of the patriarchs. For the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable. Romans 11:25-29
“Rather, when you are invited, go and take the lowest place so that when the host comes to you he may say, ‘My friend, move up to a higher position.’ Then you will enjoy the esteem of your companions at the table. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” Luke 14:10-11
Piety
By thinking of all sentient beings as even better than the wish-granting gem for accomplishing the highest aim may I always consider them precious.
Wherever I go, with whomever I go may I see myself as less than all others, and from the depth of my heart may I consider them supremely precious.
May I examine my mind in all actions and as soon as a negative state occurs, since it endangers myself and others, may I firmly face and avert it.
(From the Tibetan text called The Eight Verses for Training the Mind and quoted at http://www.dalailama.com/page.17.htm, the official website of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama)
Study
The Rule of St. Benedict has a lot to say about humility. RB 1980: The Rule of St. Benedict, edited by Timothy Fry, O.S.B. and published by The Liturgical Press in Collegeville, Minnesota is all of 96 pages cover to cover. Once you account for the preface, the actual Rule is translated over 82 pages. The chapter on humility is the longest of the 73 chapters in the Rule. It is preceded by two chapters on the steps to humility: unhesitating obedience and restraint of speech. Ten pages or more than 10 percent (a tithe) of the entire Rule is devoted to teaching about the importance of Christ-like humility.
The Rule also may be the world’s first twelve-step program because Benedict enumerates twelve stages of humility which are developed from the starting point in today’s Gospel from St. Luke. The preparation for that climb to attain such humility is described by St. Benedict:
Accordingly, if we want to reach the highest summit of humility, if we desire to attain speedily that exaltation in heaven to which we climb by the humility of this present life, then by our ascending actions we must set up that ladder on which Jacob in a dream saw "angels descending and ascending (Gn. 28:12)." Without doubt, this descent and ascent can signify only that we descend by exaltation and ascend by humility. Now the ladder erected is our life on earth, and if we humble our hearts God will raise the ladder to heaven. We may call our body and soul the sides of this ladder, into which our divine vocation has fitted the various steps of humility and discipline as we ascend. (RB 7:5-9)
Turning over our life to God – easier typed and read that resolved and fulfilled – is the ultimate aim of all Christians. Through the past few weeks, especially in our readings from Romans 8, we have considered the dualism between the “body” and “soul” – between “flesh” and the “spirit.” Often, this leads some to reach is that the flesh is bad. However, nothing bad comes from God.
As Sr. Joan Chittister, O.S.B., considers this long chapter in the Rule on humility, she also shines a light on the tension between body and soul: “Choosing God means having to concentrate on nourishing the soul rather than on sating the flesh, not because the flesh is bad but because the flesh is not enough to make the human fully human.”
St. Benedict concludes Chapter 7 of the Rule with these words about the final achievement of humility:
“Now, therefore, after ascending all these steps of humility, we will quickly arrive at the "perfect love" of God which "casts out fear (1 Jn. 4:18)." Through this love, all that we once performed with dread, we will now begin to observe without effort, as though naturally, from habit, no longer out of fear of hell, but out of love for Christ, good habit and delight in virtue. All this God will by the Holy Spirit graciously manifest in us now cleansed of vices and sins.” (RB 7:67-70)
Action
Humility matters for practicing the spiritual life. (That also is the title of a website and the third volume in a trilogy of books on spirituality by Sr. Mary Margaret "Meg" Funk, O.S.B.)
Our call is to turn away from our selfish desires by putting on the mantle of humility. From here, we need the perseverance granted by the Holy Spirit to remain balanced on this difficult ladder.
Sr. Meg writes, “God is patient, gentle, meek, and humble of heart. We are created in God’s image and are invited to live in God’s likeness.” She encourages us to accept this invitation as the desert mothers and fathers have done before us and then “give yourself years to live into these teachings.”
