Two Sides of Humility

by David Lins  |  09/12/2021  |  (Being) Catholic Matters

Many years ago, my dad taught me there are two sides to humility.

One side recognizes without God, very little is possible. Did you get great grades, graduate from a prestigious university, and end up with a high-level job? I bet you worked hard to accomplish all those things? But who gave you the intellectual capacity to fill - in the first place? God.

Think of everything you’ve accomplished through hard work like this: God gave you the containers of potential. You fulfilled those containers of potential through your efforts – or responded to what He had given you.

This holds true for everything we accomplish in life. This humility enables us to see the flip side – which is that all things are possible with God! A little Albanian girl could go on to become world-famous by serving the poorest of the poor in India. A young Polish actor could go on to become Pope and join forces with another former actor (this one turned President) in help bring down the Iron Curtain. A boy born in South Africa could be moved to England, raised by a widow, and still create a land of Elves, Dwarves, and Hobbits.

This is why it should come as no shock that Jesus chose Simon – a simple fisherman - as the first Pope, the “Rock of His Church.” Simon’s very name was changed to Petros which means “rock.” But there are even two sides to a rock. It can be a foundation of a Church, or a stumbling block if it is in the way of someone on a mission.

Jesus was forced to rebuke Peter in this Sunday’s Gospel because He tried to get in the way of Christ’s mission. Let this be a great reminder to all of us to fulfill the potential God’s has given us to help – not hinder – his mission in our lives.

Think over your past week. Were your words and actions foundational stones that God can build upon in this world? Did they open the door to miracles and healing and peace?

Or were they stumbling blocks? Making the world you inhabit less likely to experience miracles or healing or peace? God help us get next week right.

Questions? Comments? Reach David at dlins@oloj.org.