Mission Impossible: Christian Humility
By Father Abraham Feliciano
With the change of seasons comes the joy and anticipation of . . . movies!!! We know that the Spring and the Summer are prime time for many of the most eagerly awaited movies of the year, many of which are expected to be blockbusters. This year, the “Mission Impossible” franchise will release its fifth film starring Tom Cruise as super agent Ethan Hunt who will once again make use of unparalleled skill and never-before-seen gadgets and weaponry to complete seemingly impossible missions with the fate of the world hanging in the balance . . . all in a day’s work!
As disciples of the Risen Lord Jesus, the change of seasons signifies for us the anniversary of the one true “Mission Impossible” that was brought to completion two thousand years ago by God’s one-and-only true super agent, Jesus of Nazareth. With the unparalleled power of the Holy Spirit and never before heard or seen words and deeds, Jesus saved the world from sin and death . . . all in just three days! But, one of the most surprising “weapons” in the “spiritual arsenal” Jesus used to save humanity is also the very same one that we need as His followers in order to fully enter into and live the great mystery of our salvation: humility.
Over the course of this year’s Holy Week, especially during Palm Sunday and the Paschal Triduum (Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday), our Holy Father, Pope Francis focused on the virtue of humility both in the earthly life of Jesus Christ as well as that of His disciples. Making reference to St. Paul’s letter to the Philippians on Palm Sunday, which speaks of how Jesus “humbled himself” by taking on human form (cf. Phil. 2: 6 – 11), Pope Francis said that “God’s Way and the way of Christians: it is humility.” He stated that humility is “a way which constantly amazes and disturbs us: we will never get used to a humble God.” From the infidelities of the Israelites during the Exodus to the betrayal of Judas, the Pope reminded us on Palm Sunday how God humbles Himself to remain faithful to us, even at His own expense:
“This is God’s way, the way of humility. It is the way of Jesus; there is no other. And there can be no humility without humiliation.”
This is only possible because of one reason: love. Our God willingly humbles Himself and subjects Himself to humiliation, humiliation even at our very hands, because of His great love for us, pure and simple. At the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday, Pope Francis shared:
“Jesus loves us, but without limits, always, until the end . . . The love of God for us doesn’t have limits. There is always more, always more. He never tires of loving anyone . . . Each one of us can say, ‘he gave His life for me.’ Each one . . . His love is like this! Personal!”
However, knowing or understanding this truth and letting it impact our daily lives are two separate matters. Being able to believe, accept and live the reality that God loves us even when we least deserve it can often seem like a “mission impossible.” To frame the question in the first person, why would Jesus die and rise for me, personally, when my past sins (and future ones) are the cause of His suffering? The only way that any of us can accept this mystery is with the grace of humility. On Good Friday, Pope Francis, prayed:
“Teach us that God never forgets any of His children, and never tires of forgiving us and embracing us with His infinite mercy. But also teach us to never be tired of asking for forgiveness, and believing in mercy, without limit, from the Father.”
The mystery of our salvation is just that: a mystery. And, it is impossible to enter into and live this great and eternal mystery without the gift and virtue of humility. Humility requires us to lower ourselves, just like God did when He became a man and suffered and died for us. It requires us to embrace weakness, to open ourselves up to the risk (and probability) of being wounded. It requires us to serve others even when we do not think we have anything left to give and even when our self-giving might be rejected or ridiculed. Humility allows us to be transformed by God so that we can give totally of ourselves for God and others. This is the great example and power given to each of us by Jesus. On Easter Sunday, Pope Francis proclaimed,
“By His death and resurrection, Jesus shows everyone the way to life and happiness: this way is humility, which involves humiliation . . . Only those who humble themselves can go towards the ‘things that are above’, towards God (cf. Col 3:1 – 4). The world proposes that we put ourselves forward at all costs, that we compete, that we prevail . . . But Christians, by the grace of Christ, dead and risen, are the seeds of another humanity, in which we seek to live in service to one another, not to be arrogant, but rather respectful and ready to help. This is not weakness, but true strength!”
The Gospel from this year’s Easter Vigil (Mk 16: 3 – 6) recounted for us the experience of the women going to the tomb that very first Easter Sunday to anoint the body of Jesus. They were filled with the uncertainty of how the massive stone that sealed the tomb would be removed, yet they went anyway. When they arrived and saw it rolled away, they were bewildered, but they entered the tomb anyway. Upon entering, they did not see Jesus, but instead saw a messenger of God (an angel). They were amazed (and probably confused), but they believed in His words anyway. All of which required great humility.
As we celebrate Easter this year, let us not merely celebrate a season, but let us ask God for the humility to enter more fully into the mystery that is our salvation won for us by a humble Jesus. Let us ask God for the humility to enter that mystery so deeply, that like our Holy Father Pope Francis, we too can proclaim by word and by deed: “Jesus Christ is risen! Love has triumphed over hatred, life has conquered death, light has dispelled the darkness!”
As disciples of the Risen Lord Jesus, the change of seasons signifies for us the anniversary of the one true “Mission Impossible” that was brought to completion two thousand years ago by God’s one-and-only true super agent, Jesus of Nazareth. With the unparalleled power of the Holy Spirit and never before heard or seen words and deeds, Jesus saved the world from sin and death . . . all in just three days! But, one of the most surprising “weapons” in the “spiritual arsenal” Jesus used to save humanity is also the very same one that we need as His followers in order to fully enter into and live the great mystery of our salvation: humility.
Over the course of this year’s Holy Week, especially during Palm Sunday and the Paschal Triduum (Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday), our Holy Father, Pope Francis focused on the virtue of humility both in the earthly life of Jesus Christ as well as that of His disciples. Making reference to St. Paul’s letter to the Philippians on Palm Sunday, which speaks of how Jesus “humbled himself” by taking on human form (cf. Phil. 2: 6 – 11), Pope Francis said that “God’s Way and the way of Christians: it is humility.” He stated that humility is “a way which constantly amazes and disturbs us: we will never get used to a humble God.” From the infidelities of the Israelites during the Exodus to the betrayal of Judas, the Pope reminded us on Palm Sunday how God humbles Himself to remain faithful to us, even at His own expense:
“This is God’s way, the way of humility. It is the way of Jesus; there is no other. And there can be no humility without humiliation.”
This is only possible because of one reason: love. Our God willingly humbles Himself and subjects Himself to humiliation, humiliation even at our very hands, because of His great love for us, pure and simple. At the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday, Pope Francis shared:
“Jesus loves us, but without limits, always, until the end . . . The love of God for us doesn’t have limits. There is always more, always more. He never tires of loving anyone . . . Each one of us can say, ‘he gave His life for me.’ Each one . . . His love is like this! Personal!”
However, knowing or understanding this truth and letting it impact our daily lives are two separate matters. Being able to believe, accept and live the reality that God loves us even when we least deserve it can often seem like a “mission impossible.” To frame the question in the first person, why would Jesus die and rise for me, personally, when my past sins (and future ones) are the cause of His suffering? The only way that any of us can accept this mystery is with the grace of humility. On Good Friday, Pope Francis, prayed:
“Teach us that God never forgets any of His children, and never tires of forgiving us and embracing us with His infinite mercy. But also teach us to never be tired of asking for forgiveness, and believing in mercy, without limit, from the Father.”
The mystery of our salvation is just that: a mystery. And, it is impossible to enter into and live this great and eternal mystery without the gift and virtue of humility. Humility requires us to lower ourselves, just like God did when He became a man and suffered and died for us. It requires us to embrace weakness, to open ourselves up to the risk (and probability) of being wounded. It requires us to serve others even when we do not think we have anything left to give and even when our self-giving might be rejected or ridiculed. Humility allows us to be transformed by God so that we can give totally of ourselves for God and others. This is the great example and power given to each of us by Jesus. On Easter Sunday, Pope Francis proclaimed,
“By His death and resurrection, Jesus shows everyone the way to life and happiness: this way is humility, which involves humiliation . . . Only those who humble themselves can go towards the ‘things that are above’, towards God (cf. Col 3:1 – 4). The world proposes that we put ourselves forward at all costs, that we compete, that we prevail . . . But Christians, by the grace of Christ, dead and risen, are the seeds of another humanity, in which we seek to live in service to one another, not to be arrogant, but rather respectful and ready to help. This is not weakness, but true strength!”
The Gospel from this year’s Easter Vigil (Mk 16: 3 – 6) recounted for us the experience of the women going to the tomb that very first Easter Sunday to anoint the body of Jesus. They were filled with the uncertainty of how the massive stone that sealed the tomb would be removed, yet they went anyway. When they arrived and saw it rolled away, they were bewildered, but they entered the tomb anyway. Upon entering, they did not see Jesus, but instead saw a messenger of God (an angel). They were amazed (and probably confused), but they believed in His words anyway. All of which required great humility.
As we celebrate Easter this year, let us not merely celebrate a season, but let us ask God for the humility to enter more fully into the mystery that is our salvation won for us by a humble Jesus. Let us ask God for the humility to enter that mystery so deeply, that like our Holy Father Pope Francis, we too can proclaim by word and by deed: “Jesus Christ is risen! Love has triumphed over hatred, life has conquered death, light has dispelled the darkness!”
