Mk 10:32-45 God’s Humility

Mk 10:32-45 God’s Humility

(Click here for readings)

Being humble means much more than bowing down to the truth. It means reaching out to those who have yet to find or understand the truth. It means being a servant to all. This is God’s humility. He, who knew no sin, touched the sinner; he went out of his way to love those who could not love themselves. He got himself involved.

“You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them.”

The person of Christ, his rich humanity and poor divinity, his presence among his people is a striking departure of what ancient man had envisioned before the birth of the Son of God. Legends and myths had all too common an image of God, a bottom line, a common denominator: the desire for a Great God, powerful, almighty, destructive, consuming and ferocious. They got none of it with the meek and humble Christ. His power is his humility which bends the toughest of minds, souls and hearts to his Will, his Father’s Will.

“Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.”

This sounds like some of our prayers during Mass! Instead of asking we are demanding the Lord to, “Take our gifts...” or “Guide our course…” or “Help us to…” Those who translated the Mass into English some forty years ago must have thought that we were too grown up and no longer needed to beg or implore or to humbly ask. Our old translation of the Liturgy is a good reflection of our spoiled children today. Thank God it will soon be revised and maybe with that, our culture of how we ask will change a little too, and for the better. It is amazing how Liturgy and culture are connected and can influence, for better and for worse, our ideas of paternity and eternity.

“Whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant. For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

One year ago, I helped at a Raider Awakening retreat out in Lubbock. It was an amazing experience to be with so many college students that were not only seeking a deeper relationship with God but also serving him faithfully on a tough secular campus. It was an eye opening experience for me, how the kids were praying, reflecting and maintaining silence throughout the night. Many would be in adoration for hours, anonymously praying for another. Only at the end of the retreat would the retreatants be aware that across the street there was an entire group of students praying for them twenty-four hours, non-stop by name throughout the entire retreat. They were shocked. It was an image of the angels and Saints and the faithfully departed praying for us, without us ever really thinking about it. This is the humility of the Saints: working hard, getting little credit. They imitate the Master well. “Whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all.” God’s humility is nothing more than His Son’s infinite love that radiates through his human heart and dispels the darkness of our loneliness.

We know what it takes and we know how it ends. Let's get too it! As we approach the great and powerful season of Lent, let us strip ourselves of all earthy titles, positions of authority and pretenses of power. Let us go out and meet the sinner more than half-way. Let us humbly ask this through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.