HUMILITY, THE ROAD TO EXALTATION!

TUESDAY, MARCH 22, 2011

Lenten Weekday

By Lorenz S. Centino, Jr.

MATTHEW 23: 1 - 12
1	Then said Jesus to the crowds and to his disciples,
2	"The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat;
3	so practice and observe whatever they tell you, but not what they do; for they preach, but do not practice.
4	They bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with their finger.
5	They do all their deeds to be seen by men; for they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long,
6	and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues,
7	and salutations in the market places, and being called rabbi by men.
8	But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brethren.
9	And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven.
10	Neither be called masters, for you have one master, the Christ.
11	He who is greatest among you shall be your servant;
12	whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

PERSONAL REFLECTIONS:

A BLESSED TUESDAY TO ALL!

To be RECOGNIZED, ADMIRED, and given a place of HONOR are desires that most often motivate us in doing and achieving something. The need for recognition from others is a basic human need. Nobody wants to be overlooked, ignored, rejected and be put down. We need some compliment and attention so as to feel valued, appreciated and respected. Yet, in the Gospel today, Jesus is purifying and refining this basic human NEED for recognition from its dangers. Jesus used the Pharisees and Scribes as models for this purification and refinement.

We know too well that the Scribes and Pharisees are always regarded in the Gospels as the prime example of HYPOCRISY born out of the need for public recognition. The Gospel today provides a vivid picture of their hypocrisy. Jesus describe them in this way, “They DO all their deeds to be SEEN by men; for they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, and they love the PLACE of HONOR at feasts and the BEST SEATS in the synagogues, and SALUTATIONS in the market places, and being called RABBI by men.” They are strict and faithful observer and performer of their religious rituals and practices. But their faithfulness CORRUPTED their HEARTS by SEEKING PUBLIC RECOGNITION and HONOR from men. They simply perform all the demands of their religion to be called rabbi/master and be given a place and seats of honor. They simply observe in order to be counted as FIRST in the seats of EXALTATION and GLORIFICATION! What their hearts truly DESIRE and YEARN FOR is solely their SELF-GLORIFICATION!

Seeking for recognition, admiration and honor is not absolutely and entirely wrong and evil. What is wrong with it is when it is sought primarily for one’s glorification. The Pharisees and the Scribes perform almost to perfection what is expected of them with the sole of glorifying themselves, not God. And so they lay heavy burdens unto others by enforcing many practices of piety and devoutness to their religion just to show that they are masters of holiness and religious fervor and the rest are failures. True HOLINESS and RELIGIOUS FERVOR are not sought by glorifying oneself but by GLORIFYING GOD! Authentic religious fervor and zeal are anchored on HUMILITY!

Humility is a Christian virtue that makes a person TRUE to HIM/HERSELF and never thinks highly of him/herself due to a sincere and unpretentious acceptance and recognition of one’s limitations, frailties and imperfections. Thus, a humble person never seeks public recognition and honor but to PLEASE GOD by doing everything one could to glorify Him. The heart of a humble person is not set unto him/herself but unto GOD! Whenever he/she did something “excellent” or “praiseworthy,” he/she will attribute such achievement to God who made possible his/her accomplishment. A humble person, thus, never seek public acclamation and ovation but God’s approbation! He does everything for GOD FIRST, and the REST will be ACCORDED to him by God. And so Jesus said, “whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”