Homily:  22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
"True Humility"
by Fr. William Holtzinger
Aug. 29, 2004

When I was a teenager, I loved to water ski. My neighbor had a ski boat and would periodically take me to the river with his family. One day, I saw many other teenage girls who I wanted to impress. So I decided to try to start skiing directly from the shore. I would stand in three inches of water, yell the boat driver to go, and away I would go! At least that was the idea. Instead, when the boat began to go, I was instantly jerked out of my ski and thrown face down into the water. I made a very big splash! The girls, as you might guess, laughed loudly at me. I was humiliated. My ego was very hurt and I felt very small. I wanted to just disappear. Instead, I limped back to my beach towel and laid down in defeat!

Today we hear about the importance of humility, The reading from Sirach is clear: "conduct you affairs with humility." Jesus in the parable is telling us not to seek lofty places, places of honor in order to make our presence felt by others. Rather we are to seek the lowest place. We are further told that we are to do this in order that we may be honored by the host when he tells us to move to a higher position. His advice seems to advocate working for self-advantage and it forces the uneasy question into our minds as to whether there is much difference between humility and hypocrisy.

Humility is the key which opens the gates of heaven to us. So it is vital that we understand exactly what it means. Humus is the Latin word for fertile ground. Humility, then, is the situation of the earth. The earth is always there, always taken for granted, always trodden on by everyone, the place where we get rid of all that we don't need. It's there, silent and accepting. The earth changes all of our garbage into new richness. And humility calls us to take our sinful lives and allow God to transform the corruption of our self interest into the power of life for others.

Humility is recognizing our proper place in the order of existence. Remember that we are the creation, and God is the Creator. It is this very reversal that led Adam and Eve to sin and fall. They wished to be seated in a higher place and forgot about the wondrous situation they had been given.

I think that we are plagued by a false humility. In other words, many of us have learned a behavior that looks like humility, but may be a reflection of poor self esteem or a calculated way of being raised up.

When someone pays us a compliment or congratulates us, we often respond with, "Oh it's nothing." We may even respond by saying "I really didn't do anything, I just did my job." When in reality, we might have spent hundreds of hours training to be able to play a musical instrument, play a sport, or do our jobs.

Humility then, is not an act, it's not a trick. It is seeing ourselves as we actually are. Seeing ourselves as God sees us. When we see the gifts of others, we must not harbor jealousy. Instead, give thanks to God. Remember that Jesus had all power since he was God. Yet, he humbled himself and became like us in order that we may be more like him.

So here's a piece of advice for you to put in your house somewhere. Maybe tape it to your bathroom mirror. Read it everyday: Knowing God makes us humble. Knowing ourselves, keeps us humble.

Today we celebrate a baptism. In this Sacrament, the family must promise to humble themselves and teach their child the value of true humility. In doing so, they will be raised in God's eyes.