My child, conduct your affairs with humility, and you will be loved more than a giver of gifts. Humble yourself the more, the greater you are, and you will find favor with God. – Sirach 3:17
Do you ever pray for humility? If so, be careful! One morning I was praying for God to help me grow in patience and humility. Later that day I found myself waiting in my doctor’s examination room for over an hour while he helped another patient. I was wearing nothing but one of those light blue paper gowns. True story! Patience and humility, indeed!
For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. -Luke 14:11, 18:14, Proverbs 3:34
All kidding aside, growing in humility is often difficult. Think about it: to grow more humble you must experience humiliation. That’s certainly not on my to-do list each day. But maybe it should be. Perhaps being open to accepting the humiliations that come my way would be a good resolution for this Sunday’s Mass readings. Our first reading, Sirach 3:17-29, has some great advice for striving to be humble in our everyday lives. Our Responsorial Psalm 68:4-11 focuses us on God’s care for the most humble among us, the poor. Even our second reading, Hebrews 12:18-24 helps us to see ourselves as humble in comparison to God who is seated on a fiery, glorious throne of judgment. In our Gospel reading, Luke 14:7-14, Jesus also gives active instruction for growing in humility. Practicing his advice to “take the lowest place” (Luke 14:10) helps us have the ability to act with humility and also serve the poor.
So how can we seek to “take the lowest place” here and now in 2025? Serving those who are less fortunate than ourselves is one way we can practice humility. You could serve at the Lord’s Diner or volunteer to try out the Burrito Challenge. What’s the Burrito Challenge, you ask? (No, it’s not eating your weight in burritos!) Wichitans: click here to learn more! You could also see your jobs at work and home as a way to selflessly serve your coworkers or your family. Another way is to let others be honored without being envious of the honors they have received.
We can also look to Jesus as our model par excellence. He was the ultimate humble servant. He “emptied himself, taking the form of a servant” (Philippians 2:7). He was born among the animals (Luke 2:7), lived as a refugee (Matthew 2:13-15), washed the apostles’ feet (John 13:5), and suffered and died for our sins (1 Corinthians 15:3).
Jesus, help me to emulate Your humble servant’s heart. Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart like unto Thine.