22nd Sunday God is humble and God is Free

Fr. Mike Mahone shared this story among the priests, from a time when he was a sacristan in seminary in the late 70’s, 1970s. Prior to Vatican II when a Bishop and/or higher ups entered a sacristy it was common for the sacristan to vest them; to place the various pieces of vestments on them and adjust them. After Vatican II, this fell away as it was recognized this was a holdover from Royalty and Renaissance Court etiquette, and just plain silly. But, some Bishops were not always ready to let go. So Fr. Mike tells of one time in his seminary a certain Archbishop comes into the Sacristy. His vestments are laid out there for him, and then seminarian Mike is there. This Archbishop simply stands, extends his arms and waits. Mike, unsure what is going on, does nothing. The Archbishop clears his throat and says “Well?????” Expecting to be vested.

When we think of God, does humility come to mind? Probably not the first image we form. We can think of our art work, God on a Throne, Mighty God swooping and creating the world. God above all, almighty, omnipotent, holiest of holies… Humility?

One poet wrote that God may be on a throne, but is vested in rough cloth, so that those who grasp may have something to cling to.

God is humble. All that of thrones and power over is mostly us transferring our own agenda, our own ego our own wish for glory onto God.

God is humble. God waits for us to call God forward into our lives. God waits and walks with us, inviting us, but not imposing. God sits with us, and waits for us to place God in a position of honor in our own lives.

Because we often honor someone else, something else over God. This is the original sin that we repeat over and over. This is idolatry.

Jesus invites us to follow him, and to be led into humility with God. Jesus invites us to follow him so that all of us are truly, and wholly centered on God and in being as such, we become free.

Our humility recognizes that our identity, our honor comes from God and God alone. We are all a child of God.  When we lose sight of this, when we forget this, when we ignore this…and our identity becomes focussed on our money and status, our athletic prowess, our authority, our whatever… we become slaves to these.  We attack or feel the need to defend this stuff, our own ideas, this identity… because we idolize it. What is the phrase we can hear… “I will die on this sword” That is ego talk, not disciple talk.

Disciples center themselves in God and God alone. Disciples find their honor, their identity in God and God alone. Disciples will enjoy deeper Joy and peace in this world.
Disciples will enjoy a greater freedom in this world.
And will share it with those around them.

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