In the first reading from Sirach and in the gospel, we are called to humility. What is humility? I think humility is being yourself. Humility is not finding self worth in power, position, role, or resources. Humility is a radical honesty about oneself. Humility is an acceptance of oneself. Humility is the realization that true happiness is found in investing the self in other people and in causes greater than the self. Humble people know themselves. Humble people grow in an awareness of their giftedness. Humble people also know their limits. Humble people know that they are sinners in need of forgiveness from others and from God. Humble people are, on a regular basis, engaged in self-scrutiny and inventory regarding conscience and also one’s thoughts, feelings, and convictions. To use the language of positive psychology, humble people are “mindful” people. I have struggled with the issue of humility in my own life. At times I had a tendency to confuse humility with poor self-esteem, not liking or appreciating myself, based on my twisted spirituality that that is what God wanted for me. I now know that God wants me whole and healthy and wants me to care for and love and accept myself as God cares for and accepts me and all people. Humility involves self-sacrifice in love for the well-being of others, and issues and causes greater than ourselves. I see humble self-sacrifice in many of you who are married and have children. I find it interesting that Jim Collins, in his book Good to Great, isolates what he calls level 5 leadership as one of the factors contributing to great organizations. He describes level 5 leaders as people who have professional will. They are determined people, but he also says that level 5 leadership involves people who live out of personal humility. In that professional will and personal humility, they have no great need to be the center of attention. Often they are modest and self-effacing, but when it comes to the organization, they have spines of steel. They are more interested in the success of the organization than their personal success. As the organization becomes great, level 5 leaders point to the investment and involvement of other people, rather than their own accomplishments. On the other hand, Collins says, often organizations that fail are led by people with huge ego needs who need to be in control of situations and the organization and place themselves in the center of things to gratify needs for attention, position, resources, and power. There are some people who operate out of a theology and spirituality that says ordained priests are ontologically different from the non-ordained. Ontological refers to on the very level of being. On the very level of being, the ordained are different from the laity. Someone asked me recently how I would characterize my priesthood. I said this, “I have always experienced myself as a person, a human being first, who happens to be a priest.” I am not much different from many people. I deal with both the joys and the pains of being human as you do. As a priest, I try to reflect on and interpret humanity through the lens of faith and spirituality, through the lens of Jesus Christ and the Reign of God. There are some who misinterpret my intentions and say that I am ashamed of being a priest or that I am destroying the priesthood. No, I do not think I could have done anything with my life that would have brought me more meaning than being a priest, but I do not like to see myself as ontologically different from you. That is why, more often than not, I sign my name Pat Brennan and if I am asked what I like to be called, Father or Pat, I respond, “I prefer Pat”. I am reminded this week that priests, and all of us, need to practice honesty, self-sacrifice, and connection with our fellow human beings, all of which is involved in humility. In Jesus, Pat Brennan
Posted on: Tue, 03 Dec 2013 16:04:37 +0000