St. Matthew Catholic Church

Weekly Message     

35. Hope for Honor thru Humility

Dear brothers and sisters,   

     A brilliant young man, proud of his aca- demic achievements, visited a wise monk seeking wisdom. As they talked, the monk was pouring tea into a cup until it over- flowed; the young man said, can’t you see it’s overflowing? The monk said: “You are like this cup, already full of yourself and pride; only if you empty yourself you can receive true wisdom.” When God intends to fill a soul, He first makes it empty; when He intends to enrich a soul, He first makes it poor; when He intends to exalt a soul, He first makes it sensible of its own miseries, wants and nothingness. Humility makes space for God’s grace.

     In the world, honor is often measured by titles, wealth, and positions. People fight for the first place, much like the Pharisees scrambling for the best seats of honor (Lk 14) This kind of search for human applause is fragile. What people give, people can take away. It is temporary and superficial. Think of celebrities who rise and fall with public opinion. The crowd that shouts “Hosanna” quickly cry “Crucify Him.” Face honor is fake honor!

     Humility is not weakness, it is wisdom. It helps to listen, learn, and grow; and makes room for God’s wisdom. Jesus is not teaching us about table etiquette, but about the atti- tudes of our lives. The humble heart is not only content with the lowest place, but also makes room for those peo- ple the society pushes aside. Don’t wait untill you are humbled before you are humble. There is a difference between being humble and being humbled – put down, or brought low. Many proud people only learn humility through humiliation. Humility is truthfulness to yourself and to others that brings honor automatically!

Prayers and Blessings!

Msgr. Xavier Pappu
                                               Bishop Kelly's Pastoral Letter 
                                              Carta Pastoral - Pentecostes -Espanol

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