A sermon preached at St. Mary’s by Graham Low on 22nd September 2024

An interesting aspect of Mark’s writing is his description of the role played by Jesus’ disciples. They have been called by Jesus, instructed by him, shared intimate moments with him, and yet they keep on getting a bad press. They speak inappropriately. They keep children from Jesus. They are anxious when they should be asleep, and asleep when they should be anxious. So often they misunderstand what Jesus is saying and doing.

The disciples mirror our own weaknesses, our failures, our misunderstandings. We are slow to get to the point, or fail to get the point completely. We fail to listen and reflect. We often fail to see what really matters. Like us, their minds are on human rather than divine things. If we are depressed by seeing our weaknesses reflected in the lives of the disciples then we can take great encouragement because they were reclaimed after the resurrection and given a new way by Jesus.

Today we are given a brief picture of what discipleship is about. Firstly, we read that, unprepared as they are, the disciples are singled out for special instruction, as particular people called by Jesus, so that they may be prepared for a life in God’s kingdom. Secondly, even the disciples find Jesus’ message baffling, and so intimidated and deflated are they that they will not ask any questions. They argue about who is the greatest. This is a very low point in their relationship with Jesus. And yet, it is absolutely extraordinary that, although the disciples are  baffled and humiliated, Jesus does not abandon them.

A central part of the dialogue between Jesus and the disciples is about the virtue of humility. This is a word which is rarely used these days. However, the absence of humility has rarely been more evident than in political debates such as that in progress across the Atlantic Ocean. The meaning of humility has varied down the ages: in the Graeco-Roman world humility was disdained, linked with low social class, lack of freedom and an inability to have public influence. In Israel the poor depended with humility on God’s special care for the lowly. In 20^th century India the pacifist Mahatma Gandhi said humility is the spirit and goal of non-violence, the willingness to approach God with a humble and contrite heart, to be an unobtrusive witness to humility.

The word humility comes from the Latin for earth or soil – humus. It is an antidote to pride. Christian perspectives have changed down the centuries. Humility is prominent in the writings of the Desert Fathers. In Chapter 7 of Benedict’s Rule, he described the spiritual life as a ladder. Our proud attempts at upward climbing will really bring us down, whereas to step downwards in humility is the way to lift our spirit towards God. In the middle ages humility was second only to charity in the virtues of the Christian life, while the dangers of pride were stressed. In the 14^th century Catherine of Siena wrote that the humble soul knows that all she is, and every gift she has, comes from God. Teresa of Avila wrote that the foundation of the whole Christian edifice is humility. Luther wrote that humility is the foundation and fruit of faith.

In today’s world, humility has been marginalized to a degree. Distorted views of humility are seen as inimical to healthy psychological development, and a barrier to self-realization, especially for women. The Biblical admonitions of humility are seen by many as oppressive (1 Tim. 2-9-15, Titus 2), and they have been the cause of serious humiliation and abuse in some sects.

In his ministry Jesus showed that humility is not to be confused with humiliation. It does not involve rejection. It is not about hatred of oneself. It is not about lack of esteem or assertiveness. It does not demand that one becomes a doormat. Jesus taught by example that humility is about the truth within ourselves, and about the world. To be a humble person is to accept our creatureliness, our gifts and our sins. We use reason and psychological knowledge to discover our true selves, but in the end humility is the fruit of openness to God’s generous love and mystery. To be humble is to be free of pretence, to hold oneself in perspective in order to resist exaggeration of either our gifts or our faults. These are some of the threads which shape the celebration of our Eucharist.

Jesus is the model for humility in the Christian life. Refusing to cling to divine status, he had a deep reverence and patience for other people. He reflected an interior silence and self-possession. Outstandingly, he was willing to forgive. He showed neither arrogance nor self-occupation. He cared about the poor, he washed the feet of the disciples, and forgave those who crucified him. So our life as followers of Jesus is built around paradoxes: life comes out of death: the humble shall be exalted; the last shall be first; to lose one’s life is to gain it.

To seek to have a deeper sense of humility and to reflect it in our lives can appear to be out of reach for all of us. There are spiritual disciplines that may help prepare us to receive a deeper sense of the gift of humility. But we cannot command this gift to come to us. What we can all do is to pray that we remain open to the gift. What we can all do with our humility is to take a counter-cultural stance against a status quo that encourages arrogance, and self-glorying at the expense of other people. We live in a world of conflict. The humility which Jesus reflected and which we are to follow is a way that leads in the opposite direction, to forgiveness and reconciliation. That in turn leads to healing and to freedom.

If we look at the gospel accounts of Jesus’ life we can see various ways in which we can seek to imitate his humility.

Firstly, we live in a world where drawing people’s attention to ourselves and what we have achieved is central to our way through life. By contrast, Jesus drew attention to God and never to himself. This is something to which we may all pay attention.

Secondly, we live in a world where there is a shortage of patience, willingness and time to listen to each other. To listen to people without interrupting them, and to reflect upon what may be said is something that we can all do. We know that this was part of Jesus’ way. It can be deeply healing for both the listener and the person who speaks. It is what every Christian community is called to do as a central part of its pastoral care and its witness.

By paying attention, as Jesus did, to these two particular matters is to reveal something of God’s kingdom. This is about deepening our trust in the saving love of God; it is about finding freedom from self to serve others; it is about developing internal peace which flows to all; it is about just action that gives each person her or his due; it is about gratitude for life that comes from God. Humble people see themselves, their families, and their communities and nations as unexceptional in the light of God’s love. If we seek prayerfully to live in the truth about ourselves and our world, then we may hope to have a deeper awareness of the gifts and miseries of others, leading to compassion because our confidence lies in God. Amen.