St. Paul Parish at 501 West Short Street, Lexington, KY 40507-1254 US -
Staff Scribblings from Fr. Chuck
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Staff Scribblings from Fr. Chuck
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As we gather for worship this weekend, we continue to hear Jesus teaching us about Himself and His values…the values of the Kingdom. This week the key value that Jesus challenges us to live is one of HUMILITY.
Humility is not exactly a value in vogue. Mention it among typical contemporary folks and you’re likely to conjure up images of the shy and retiring “wimp” without too much backbone and with even less gumption. Rather, our twentieth and twenty-first century values lean so heavily toward “making it” in the world…living up to someone else’s expectations. Today’s successful woman or man knows where to live, how to dress, what to drink, how to perform and what to drive. Scripture readings about humbling oneself or sitting at the lowest place at table seem quaint or worse, appropriate to another time and place. Like forgiveness and being forgiving, humility and showing oneself as truly humble are counter-cultural in our modern world. Can we/I take up the challenge of living these values?
The key to resolving the issue of how to live a life of Christian humility lies not in demeaning ourselves; rather, it has to do with knowing ourselves as we really are. Our Scriptures this weekend remind us that we can approach God’s presence not through our own efforts, but because of Jesus who has acted on our behalf. It is God who makes us worthy. It is God who cares for us in our defenseless moments and offers us whatever we need. Whatever we have is given as a gift. If we find our way to the table at all, it is only because we have been invited there. If we come to the wedding party, it is as guests that we take our place at table. Knowing who we are is a humbling experience. And it is also probably one of the important tasks of our human growth as Christians.
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