December 10, 2015 Thursday, 2nd Week of Advent
1st Reading: Is 41:13–20 Gospel: Mt 11:11–15
Jesus said to the crowds, “No one greater than John the Baptist has come forward among the sons of women, and yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven is something to be conquered and the unyielding seize it. “Up to the time of John, there was only prophesy: all the prophets and the Law; and if you believe me, John is this Elijah, whose coming was predicted. Let anyone with ears listen!”
D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE (Daily Gospel in the
Assimilated Life Experience)
Humble greatness is an oxymoron the world will not be happy to embrace. A worldly person will never want to go down when he is already up above the rest. He takes pleasure looking down on others but never entertains any thought of going down to them. Pride is the name of the game.
But those who are down are not necessarily humble. They can pull people who are on top out of jealousy. “Misery seeks company”.
In a world where greatness is the coveted pearl worth the risk and the struggle, humility is an evil that those on top and those below must avoid. But to Christ, humble greatness is the key to salvation.
“Unless a grain of seed falls to the ground and dies, it does not bear fruit”. Humble greatness worked perfectly in the lives of prophets and saints. In the life of St. John the Baptist for example, he wanted to decrease so that Jesus would increase. He fulfilled this motto to the letter when he lost his head, courtesy of Herod, while giving witness to Jesus. Losing his head he decreased in height literally, for
Ancient Greek Art’s canon of proportions holds that a man is seven and a half heads tall including the head. But that made John the Baptist truly great.
His motto points to the centrality of his mission in everything that he did. Time and again he declared:
“Someone greater is coming after me, and I am not worthy even to untie the straps of his sandals.” It was so humble of him to declare it. Yet Jesus exalted him to the heavens. In today’s Gospel Jesus declared, “No one greater than John the Baptist has come forward among the sons of women…” We too must find greatness in the fulfillment of our God-given mission. But we must be humble, for a proud man will not find pleasure in setting his person aside for anything noble. Here is your alphabet of humility: “Arrogance Before Christ Distinguishes Every Fool. Go Humble Instead. Jesus Knows Lowly
Men Naturally Oppose Pride Quite Resolutely. Settle Those Unresolved Vices With Xst.” Your Zeal completes this alphabet of humility. – Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., D.M. Email: [email protected]. Website: www.frdan.org.
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