August 20, 2005
Mt 23:1-12 Humility
Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, saying, "The scribes and the Pharisees have taken their seat on the chair of Moses. Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example. For they preach but they do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens hard to carry and lay them on people's shoulders, but they will not lift a finger to move them. All their works are performed to be seen. They widen their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels. They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in synagogues,
greetings in marketplaces, and the salutation ‘Rabbi.' As for you, do not be called ‘Rabbi.' You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers. Call no one on earth your father; you have but one Father in heaven. Do not be called ‘Master'; you have but one master, the Christ. The greatest among you must be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted."
Whoever humbles themself will be exalted. My only father is God and my master is Christ....It is not always simple or easily "to swallow" to be the last to be considered or to be the one who gets the least or is considered the lowest in the order of preferences.
In the last week, I have had plenty of opportunities for humility with being a newly hired employee at a large university during a time when the building that the department I am based in is still not moved into and the construction wiring, installing equipment phones and many other parts are not completed.
I have spent hours, an enormous amount of time, running to all different parts of the campus, orienting myself and completing parts of my entry into the system which requires a multitude of steps which have been in many cases up to me to notice if something was missing, not given, not listed or remained to be addressed. The people who are normally in a support position are preoccupied with continued major moving issues and tasks more than facilitation of a new late hired employee. On one hand, I have to be content with being last but on the other I have to see to completing the steps needed to be a part of the system. It has honestly been a humbling experience.
Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, saying, "The scribes and the Pharisees have taken their seat on the chair of Moses. Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example. For they preach but they do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens hard to carry and lay them on people's shoulders, but they will not lift a finger to move them. All their works are performed to be seen. They widen their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels. They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in synagogues,
greetings in marketplaces, and the salutation ‘Rabbi.' As for you, do not be called ‘Rabbi.' You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers. Call no one on earth your father; you have but one Father in heaven. Do not be called ‘Master'; you have but one master, the Christ. The greatest among you must be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted."
Whoever humbles themself will be exalted. My only father is God and my master is Christ....It is not always simple or easily "to swallow" to be the last to be considered or to be the one who gets the least or is considered the lowest in the order of preferences.
In the last week, I have had plenty of opportunities for humility with being a newly hired employee at a large university during a time when the building that the department I am based in is still not moved into and the construction wiring, installing equipment phones and many other parts are not completed.
I have spent hours, an enormous amount of time, running to all different parts of the campus, orienting myself and completing parts of my entry into the system which requires a multitude of steps which have been in many cases up to me to notice if something was missing, not given, not listed or remained to be addressed. The people who are normally in a support position are preoccupied with continued major moving issues and tasks more than facilitation of a new late hired employee. On one hand, I have to be content with being last but on the other I have to see to completing the steps needed to be a part of the system. It has honestly been a humbling experience.
posted by Joan Morris at 6:19 AM
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