Oblates of St. Francis de Sales

New DeSales World Newsletter - Summer Edition

22ND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (September 2, 2007)

Suggested Emphasis

"Conduct your affairs with humility, and you will be loved more than a giver of gifts. Humble yourself the more, the greater you are, and you will find favor with God."

Salesian Perspective

How do we find favor with God by humbling ourselves? For that matter, when we humble ourselves, what are we really doing?

First of all, humility challenges us to avoid two extremes in life: the temptations to either exalt ourselves or trash ourselves. Francis de Sales offered very concrete examples of how to do this. "I don't want to play either the fool or the wise man, for if humility forbids me to play the sage, candor and sincerity forbid me to act the fool. Just as I would not parade knowledge even of what I actually know; so, by contrast, I would not pretend to be ignorant of it. Humility conceals and covers the other virtues in order to preserve them, but it also reveals them when charity so requires in order that we might enlarge, increase and perfect them." (Introduction to the Devout Life, Part III, Chapter 5)

On a deeper level, humility is about acknowledging both our littleness and God's greatness. "Let us consider what God has done for us and what we have done against God, and as we reflect upon our sins one by one let us also consider God's graces one by one. There is no need to fear that the knowledge of God's gifts will make us proud if only we remember this truth: none of the good in us comes from ourselves alone." (Ibid)

Finally, having a balanced view of ourselves, acknowledging our littleness and God's greatness, and being grateful for God's fidelity to us leads us to live lives of generosity. "Generous minds do not amuse themselves with the petty toys of rank, honor and titles. They have other things to do. Such things belong only to idle minds. Those who own pearls do not bother about shells, while those who aspire to virtue do not trouble themselves over honors." (Introduction to the Devout Life, Part III, Chapter 4)

Humbling ourselves is not about putting ourselves down. No, humbling ourselves is about taking our rightful place in life: beneficiaries of God's love for us, instruments of God's love in the lives of one another.

Humility is ultimately about coming to know our place in God's plan of salvation…and having the courage to take - and embrace - it. This true humility, in turn, should lead us to gently - and respectfully - encourage others in their quest to likewise know their place in God's plan of salvation…and to have the courage to take it.

What better way of finding favor with God?

Together.

Rev. Michael S. Murray, OSFS, is the Executive Director of the De Sales Spirituality Center.