IF GOD IS THE ONE TO BRING IT ABOUT…
Scripture: “The Lord has told you, O people, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? Only this: to do what is right, to
show mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” – Micah 6:8
Catechism of the Catholic Church: “To become a child in relation to God is the condition for entering the Kingdom. For this, we
must humble ourselves and become little.” – CCC #526
Brothers and sisters, how many of us hated being told what to do by our parents? How many of us thought that they were always
wrong, when they said things like: Don’t run, you will fall? Don’t stick your finger in that light socket? Don’t hold the door open,
you’re letting the heat out? We were sure they were wrong, and we always knew best. We were the ones that were always right.
However, I have to admit that over that last 41 years of having to take care of myself, taking responsibility for my own life, my own job,
my own bills, I realized something; my parents were right! It seemed that the older I got, the smarter my parents became…
Brothers and sisters, we live in a world that is constantly telling us that we are always right, no one can tell us any different. There has
been an expression that’s been going around for about ten years now, “my truth.” This is my truth on any situation. There is no such
thing as “my truth.” There are three sides to any story: my version, your version, and the truth. However, our pride and ego tells us that
we are right and everyone else is wrong.
When we allow our ego, our pride, our sense of entitlement to mold our character, we run the risk of falling victim to that one
unpardonable sin. We get so wrapped up in ourselves that we believe that we are special – more special than everyone else. So special,
that of course God will save us – we are that special. When it gets to this point, all the world sees that humility has left the building.
In last week’s Gospel reading from Luke, Jesus warned us that: “Behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be
last.” And this is how the Lord humbles people. Brothers and sisters, let me tell y’all how it gets to this point.
When people refuse to let go of their pride or accept correction from the Lord, they stop caring what He thinks. When they stop caring,
they stop contributing to the good of the parish and the community. When they stop contributing, they stop showing up at mass.
When they stop showing up at mass, they start believing that they don’t need God. When they start believing that they don’t need God,
He sees what is more important to them than He is.
Brothers and sisters, we must choose. We must choose what we want. Do we continue to care and heed the Lord’s commands to love –
to love others without conditions, or would we rather continue in a life of self-importance? Do we want to be last, or do we want to be
first? The choice is ours to make. As Jesus said at the end of this week’s Gospel reading: For every one who exalts himself will be
humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” Let us all choose wisely. Because, if God is the One to bring about our
humility…
“It was pride that changed angels into devils;
It is humility that makes people as angels.”
-St. Augustine
