Eccles 3.17-20, 28-29;
Hebr 12.18-19, 22-24;
Lk 14.1, 7-14
Our readings today challenge us to be more humble and less demanding of others. As much as we would like it to be at times, it’s not all about us!
Greatness of spirit, growth in virtue, real merit: these attainments are not achieved vicariously. He who exalts himself on someone else’s ticket, is riding for a fall. It’s unreal. It’s not true. It’s a fantasy, a delusion. We are what we are, ourselves. We become what we become, ourselves. This is one of the reasons why humility is so necessary. Humility means having an accurate and honest view of ourselves. If we have a particular talent, it is humble to admit it (and give thanks for it). If we have a particular weakness, it is humble to admit it (and then try to improve). It is not humble to claim as our own either the talents or weaknesses of others, when they are not.
Central to the fact of our redemption is the fact that it is only through Christ’s atoning merits that we were reconciled to the Father, on Calvary. In that unique and unrepeatable case, merit certainly does rub off! The redemption of mankind was achieved not by any merits of ours, but by the merits of God-made-man, Christ Jesus. What then of our involvement? How do we, so to speak, rub shoulders with the Redeemer? Our part is to co-operate in the process of our sanctification. Only by this co-operation, can our redemption lead, by God’s grace, to our eventual salvation, when we enter heaven. This process of co-operation is where our own unique and non-transferable contribution takes place. We cannot make an act of will for someone else, only for ourselves
To be exalted spiritually, therefore, we must be humble and remain humble. In the spiritual life we cannot use the efforts of others as a substitute for our own. We have to pursue the business of our own salvation with a ruthless sense of purpose, an urgent and deeply personal purpose. We must always remember that the one to be saved is ‘me’, the real ‘me’, the ‘me’ that God sees and knows. The fatal mistake is to pretend to be someone else. When we are queuing-up in purgatory, waiting to enter paradise, all false identities will be exposed and purged. When you reach your place at the head of the queue, it is you, the one, single, real, and only ‘you’, to whom we hope the Lord will say: “Friend, come up higher
Peace
Credit:
This article is written by Rev Fr. Joseph Osho OSJ. Please visit his personal blog @ https://www.blogger.com/profile/10377666931103644634
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