The Church invites us to reflect deeply on this great Christian virtue, humility. It is an attribute and quality of God which all must strive to possess and live. We are called to imitate the humility of Jesus Christ. Humility was a distinctive mark of the life and ministry of Jesus Christ our Lord. So, it must also be for us as Christians. 

Jesus is the epitome of humility. He did not value His own self-importance or honor, but freely gave it up in every situation so that God’s will could be carried out and God could be glorified through His life. Jesus, God Himself chose to be born in a stable at Bethlehem. As a baby, he was a refugee in Egypt. He lived in the obscure village of Nazareth. He had the menial job of a carpenter. During His public ministry, Jesus had nowhere to lay His head (Lk 9:58). 

St. Paul in his letter to the Philippians wrote: Though he (Jesus Christ) was in the form of God, he did not count on his equality with God a thing to be grasped but he made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in likeness of men. And being found in human form, he HUMBLED himself by becoming OBEDIENT even unto death, death on a cross.

At the Last Supper Jesus rose and took off his outer garments. He took a towel and tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and dry them with the towel around his waist. He took the function of slaves by washing the feet of the disciples as a sign of humility and service. 

In the gospel, Christ exhorts us: “…Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the man who humbles himself will be exalted.” Jesus teaches the importance of humility and simplicity in our Christian journey. We have a lot to learn from the Blessed Virgin Mary who humbled herself. Her humility was so remarkable that God exalted her to be the Mother of His Son. Mary attested to this through her Magnificat — “My soul glorifies the Lord…for He has been mindful of the humble state of His servant…He has brought down rulers from their thrones and has lifted up the humble” (Lk 1:47. 59). 

What our contemporary culture calls humility may be much different than what Jesus means by humility. Two of Jesus’ parables give special emphasis to humility. The Parable of the Guests (Luke 14) and the Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector (Luke 18). These two parables make clear that humility is a virtue. 

Jesus did not come to be served, but to serve. In His humility, He was always obedient to the Father and so should the humble Christian be willing to put aside all selfishness and submit in obedience to God and His Word. True humility produces godliness, contentment, and security.

By Deacon Mar Tano