Humility, the Path to Exaltation (Tuesday, Week 31, Year 2, St Martin De Porres, Nov. 3)

In Philippians 2:1-4, St Paul admonishes the Philippians to have the same mind, the same love, to do nothing from selfishness and in humility to count others better than themselves. Today, in continuation of that admonition (cf. Phil. 2:5-11), he tells them that for them to be able to actualize all that he outlined in Phil. 2:1-4, they must have the mind of Christ who even though was in the form of God never counted equality with God but emptied himself and took the form of a slave for the sake of humanity. Thus, God exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name. Having humbled himself, He was exalted by God. Humility is the only attitude needed for exaltation.

Ordinarily, we may be tempted to think that Christ was stupid to have left his heavenly and godly glory to come and suffer for us. Yes, sometimes, humility may reduce us to the level of being laughed at and cajoled and humiliated. Sometimes, when you decide to act selflessly, when you make up your mind to place the interests of others before yours, some people may think that you have gone crazy. That’s the prize of humility and selflessness.

The gospel reading (cf. Luke 14:15-24) tells a story of a host whose invitation to the banquet was rejected by those invited. Just imagine the frustration that the host must have! I am sure he must have sent out invitations earlier on to those individuals who declined his call at the time of the banquet. I am sure he must have spent a lot of energy and resources in preparing for the banquet! Those invited were giving excuses, placing their own interests before that of the host. But if they were humble enough, they should have set aside whatever personal plans or interests they had. My dear friends, sometimes, humility demands that we set aside whatever agenda we have for the sake of other people. 

If we do not learn how to adopt the attitude of Christ, the attitude of humility, the attitude of considering other people’s interests before ours, the journey to heaven where there will be the great banquet of everlasting joy may be very difficult, and altogether, impossible for us. The only route that leads to that heaven is the route of love; and the only attitude that would enable us to take that route consistently is the attitude of humility: doing all that we can do to better the lives of people; that is the primary thing that God expects us to be doing as we prepare for the heavenly banquet. And that will be the certificate that we can present on that day. We may have our excuses now. That’s ok. But then, we must learn to rearrange our priorities and place what God demands of us over and above other things.