humility

The memorable prophecy that Jesus fulfilled in his entry to Jerusalem - “Riding on a baby donkey” – was first and foremost a testament to the truth that the Messiah comes in peace, not in war. If he was riding in conquest, he would enter the city on a horse. Jesus is indeed the prince of Peace. However, it also attests to his humility, his lowliness. The Messiah didn’t need any extra praise from others. He “humbled himself even to the point of death on a cross,” Paul tells us in Philippians 2. And thus he gives us all an example to follow.

The donkey is also a good image of the ministerial priesthood and indeed of all Christians, for “we hold this treasure in earthen vessels” and the Lord wishes to use us humble beasts to do something quite extraordinary: to bear His glorious presence within us and to bring him into other people’s lives.

“We are not debtors to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.”

“Deeds of the flesh” = sloth, gluttony, lust, hedonism (maximizing pleasure, avoiding pain) self-preservation. Also, though less obvious are the other “deadly vices” or “capital sins” of vanity, envy, pride, and wrath. All of them look at life from a perspective of the flesh: whether to please the flesh or whether to simply forget that we have a life beyond the flesh, a destiny that is eternal, for good or for ill.

And in fact, if we look at all sins, we can see that pride is center of all sin. “my will be done.”

We must love what Jesus loved from the cross, and despise whatever he despised on the cross.

Fasting and other penance. It’s a training ground for saying “no, I’m in charge and I’m going to glorify God in my body.” It prepares us for when love demands something of us.

Litany of Humilty:  

O Jesus, meek and humble of heart, Hear me.

From the desire of being esteemed, Deliver me, O Jesus.

From the desire of being loved, Deliver me, O Jesus.

From the desire of being extolled, Deliver me, O Jesus.

From the desire of being honored, Deliver me, O Jesus.

From the desire of being praised, Deliver me, O Jesus.

From the desire of being preferred to others, Deliver me, O Jesus.

From the desire of being consulted, Deliver me, O Jesus.

From the desire of being approved, Deliver me, O Jesus.

From the fear of being humiliated, Deliver me, O Jesus.

From the fear of being despised, Deliver me, O Jesus.

From the fear of suffering rebukes, Deliver me, O Jesus.

From the fear of being calumniated, Deliver me, O Jesus.

From the fear of being forgotten, Deliver me, O Jesus.

From the fear of being ridiculed, Deliver me, O Jesus.

From the fear of being wronged, Deliver me, O Jesus.

From the fear of being suspected, Deliver me, O Jesus.

That others may be loved more than I, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

That others may be esteemed more than I, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

That, in the opinion of the world, others may increase and I may decrease, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

That others may be chosen and I set aside, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

That others may be praised and I go unnoticed, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

That others may be preferred to me in everything, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

That others may become holier than I, provided that I may become as holy as I should, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.