December 2/First Monday of Advent
The centurion said in reply, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed.” ~ Matt 8.8
After a long period of banishment, humility may be becoming fashionable again. Earlier this fall, no less an authority than the New York Times reported on recent psychological research on this neglected virtue, a trait researchers say is characterized by (a) an ability to accurately acknowledge one’s limitations and abilities and (b) an interpersonal stance that is other-oriented rather than self-focused. Can there be a better exemplar of humility than the centurion in today’s Gospel? As a Roman military officer, he would be expected to pay scant attention to such social inferiors as his servant, or Jesus, and he would have had few day-to-day limitations to his authority. He could have, and should have, been brimming with self-regard. Instead, he manifests both a deep concern for others and a keen awareness of his own limitations. A man used to giving and carrying out orders both appeals to, and trusts, an itinerant Jewish preacher. And his humble faith is rewarded. Most of us strive to be master and commander of our own lives. But if we truly want to be in a right relationship with God, we need to acknowledge our limited capabilities and redirect our attention outward, to God and to others. As the centurion attests, God alone has the power to heal and restore what’s gone wrong in our lives. To avail ourselves of his healing power, we must enter the spaces of prayer and reflection with a keen sense of our own insignificance over against the magnificence of God’s love.
God of all creation, Give me the grace to humble myself as I come into your presence to pray, and make me fully aware of your glory. Amen.
For today’s readings, click here: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/120219.cfm
