Category: Humility

Forgiveness and humility in pandemic times

5/19/2020

No better time to let go of unnecessary judgments than during this pandemic time. There are myriad opportunities to analyze what everyone is doing, and then disapprove because they are not acting the way I think they should. I’m not talking about appropriate actions to avoid catching or spreading the virus, but about how people are personally responding emotionally and psychologically.
     Yesterday, in talking with a friend, I blurted out a negative comment about a mutual friend. Immediately God appeared, reminding me that this is precisely what I have been praying to let go of in my life. Also, immediately, Jesus walked away from my presence. Throughout the rest of the day I prayed for understanding and healing, and it came in the form of God’s forgiveness; God forgives and in accepting that radical gift, I can ease closer and closer to forgiving myself.
    God had another gift for me: the gift of humility, a gift I sorely need. Humility is a simple gift. It is neither fancy nor complicated, but it is hard to grasp or accept. It is not a gift I always want. And so I lose it, or put it away for Sunday morning. To be humble is to know and believe that I am not in charge; that good I want to do I can only do by praying Thy will be done.
     I leave you with two scriptures that continue to lead me to forgiveness and humility.

Therefore you have no excuse, whoever you are, when you judge others; for in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, are doing the very same thing.
Romans 2: 1

For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells within me.
Roman 7:19-20

Humility's challenge~

2/11/2018

     Although humility is a core principles of my faith, it is one of the most difficult ones for me to practice. I think about it often, and believe it is a really good idea to be humble, but actually to be in that state, well, that’s where the challenge lies.
     It’s taken an arthritic knee to humble me about health. When feeling well, I take my health for granted. Oh, I may voice gratitude, but my empathy for those not feeling well can go just so far.
    My knee isn’t painful enough for me to stop walking or going up and down stairs, but I am aware of the dangers of overusing it and the inevitable results of the aging process. And that is another opportunity to practice humility.

Special in God's eyes~

11/22/2017

I want to say a little more about the following cottage-by-the-sea post. I want to say a little more about specialness from a Christian perspective. We are all special in God’s eyes; that’s it! If I consider myself as someone especially special in God’s eyes, then I am into the very worst kind of vainglory—I am wonderful because God chose me; I have a special direct line to God—that kind of bragging. Feeling special is a challenge to walking humbly.

For the past twenty-four hours I’ve been pondering what it mean to be special? Let me start theologically: Jesus says that God shows no partiality, which to me means that everyone is special. Then there is Mr. Rogers who implied the same thing when he told everyone in his neighborhood that they were special. Merriam-Webster defines special as: ‘being the one or ones of a class with no other members; granted special treatment or attention; of a particular or exact sort.’ As I see it, special can describes some groups well, but when applied to half the human race, the word takes on a different definition.
When the President said, “Women are special,” I was left feeling diminished and defined by someone who has no right to do so. Of course, I don’t have to buy into his definition, nor do I have to feel what I feel, but when a person in such power places verbal parameters around my life, it’s hard to ignore. More to the point, here is one male putting women in one category. I don’t even want to be special, nor do I need to be told I am special. I AM. And, I’m of other things, too.
Enough. That’s all the special energy I want to put into that one.

Prayer, the path to humility~

8/5/2015

If you want practice praying with ceasing for a day, just start praying for a friend’s fourteen year old grandson who is in the midst of fourteen hour brain surgery. You just don’t’ stop praying.

Is there such a thing as practicing prayer? Practice implies getting better and maybe even becoming an expert. But prayer isn’t that way. We don’t get better, and I doubt that anyone can be considered an expert in prayer. We just keep praying and then praying some more until it feels like we are praying without ceasing. Prayer is God lead, not human directed. It is a path to humility.

Meekness and charity~

10/29/2014

The Cloud of Unknowing * tells us that meekness and charity are the two virtues that stand for all the other virtues: For whoever can have these two, he would clearly need no others; he would have them all. He also tell us that we can never be perfect…but we know this.

Of the two, charity is my stronger virtue. I like to visit people who can’t get out and about; I like to take them a meal. Last night I helped at Rosie’s Place (a woman’s shelter in Boston), where as usual, I received more than I gave. But here’s the rub. In telling you about this, I am aware that meekness, the very virtue that I lack, diminishes even more. And yet, sharing ways that we experience God’s kingdom on earth, expands that very kingdom. As the Cloud of Unknowing tells us, we can’t be perfect.

“The Cloud of Unknowing is an anonymous work of Christian mysticism written in Middle English in the latter half of the 14th century.” (Wikipedia)

God's humility~

10/7/2014

I promised that I would write about vulnerability, which along with availability makes up the rule of the Northumbria Community. But it is evening, and after a day in Boston I’m too tired to compose anything. So instead, here is a piece by Angela of Foligno (1248-1309), sainted by Pope Francis on October 9, 2013. I leave you to your own meditation.
"The eyes of my soul were opened, and I beheld the plenitude of God, wherein I did comprehend the whole world, both here and beyond the sea, and the abyss and ocean and all things. In all these things I beheld naught save the divine power, in a manner assuredly indescribable, so that through excess of marveling the soul cried with a loud voice, saying, ‘This whole world is full of God!’ Wherefore I comprehended how small a thing is the whole world…and that the Power of God exceeds and fills all. Then he said unto me: ‘I have shown thee something of My Power…Behold now My humility.’ Then I was given an insight into the deep humility of God towards man. And comprehending that unspeakable power and beholding that deep humility, my soul marveled greatly and did esteem itself to be nothing at all."

Merton on humility~

2/11/2014

Slowly, very slowing I am working my way through ‘The Journals of Thomas Merton.’ I’m still on Volume One 1939-1941. At this point in my reading, Merton is planning to become a priest but is still teaching at Columbia in NYC. Here’s what struck me yesterday.

“I wish nobody had ever told me it was a good thing to attempt to know myself…. Knowing myself—it was really a sort of desperate substitute for confession and penance. That’s why it was so silly and so lamentably useless. For the only valid kind of self-knowledge is the amount needed for a good examination of conscience to make a good confession. But both these are something God will give us if we pray humbly to Him for grace and love, and the important thing is God’s love, not ourselves and what is in us. We don’t want to know what is in ourselves in order to dwell upon it, treasure it, meditate upon it unless it is not of ourselves but of God. So everything that is of our own worldly desire and fear must be cast out so that we can see God within us and everywhere outside of us too. What we want to know is not ourselves but God” (p. 96).

Here’s what I’m thinking today. Merton is talking about humility, something I am mighty short on. He’s talking about a paradigm shift, not some self-effacing way to present myself, some mask that poses as humility but is really pride and vain glory. Humility is about accepting God’s grace and acting on it for the good of God’s kingdom.

The Art of Prayer~

1/23/2014

I’ve been working through The Art of Prayer: An Orthodox Anthology, a collection of ancient Orthodox writings compiled in the first half of the twentieth century by Igumen Charlton, a Russian Orthodox monk. I say working through because every morning I read a small section, no more than a page, and meditate on what it means to me. It is going to take me at least two years to finish the book, but that’s just as I want it to be.

Each entry is a gem for contemplation, for prayer, for meditation. This morning’s reading Chapter IV, The Fruits of Prayer, by Theophan the Recluse.

May the Lord give you the blessing of a strong desire to stand inwardly before God. Seek and you will find. Seek God: such is the unalterable rule for all spiritual advancement. Nothing comes without effort. The help of God is always ready and always near but is only given to those who seek and work, and only to those seekers who, after putting all their own powers to the test, then cry out with all their heart: Lord, help us. So long as you hold on to even a little hope of achieving something on your own powers, the Lord does not interfere. It is as though He says: ‘You hope to succeed by yourself—Very well, go on trying ! But however long you try you will achieve nothing.’ May the Lord give you a contrite spirit, a humble and contrite heart.

Obedient to God~

11/20/2013

On my walk today I got thinking about what it means to be obedient to God. Obedience is an emotionally charged word, especially when linked with the demands that organized religion gives as criteria for membership in its particular denomination. Where does one’s obedience lie? In religious (or social) norms that we adhere to, or in ourselves, in the God within? Sometimes the two dovetail and that makes it easy. Other times, big conflict.

     Right now I’m not talking about issue of obedience that we study as part of church history. I’m talking about obedience now, in the twenty-first century, as the obedience button is being pushed over acceptance of gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender/queer persons. While my denomination, UCC, has officially welcomed all of God’s children, others are speaking out a little less boldly, and some individuals, lay and clergy alike, are defying their denomination and acting from conscious to marry (and welcome) couples from the GLBTQ community.

     One such individual is Rev. Frank Schaefer who yesterday was found guilty by a United Methodist jury in Pennsylvania of performing a same-sex wedding six years ago for his son Tim, and of “disobedience to the order and discipline of the United Methodist Church.” Within thirty days Schaefer has been told he must decide if he can uphold the Book of Discipline in order to retain his “ministerial credentials”.

      I mention this, not to get involved in church politics, but as a way to gain some clarity about obedience to God. I have to believe that Schaefer acted out of obedience to a God of love, to Jesus who preached love, and to the Holy Spirit who entered his heart with love. Whatever I’m pondering, I have to look into my own heart to see what is right for me, to discern what I want to be obedient to. My sense of right and wrong isn’t always clear cut, which is why I walk the beach praying for answers, hoping to hear God leading me to my obedient answer.

My source of information: The United Methodist Reporter: An Independent source of news and commentary on the life of the United Methodist Church http://unitedmethodistreporter.com/2013/11/19/schaefer-jury-30-day-suspension-possible-surrender/

Family Promise~

11/1/2013

Last night at a local church I helped serve the evening meal to several families participating in Family Promise, a national organization whose mission is “is to help homeless and low-income families achieve sustainable independence.” (To learn more, check their website.)

I am in awe of the resilience, commitment and courage of these moms and dads, who are determined to turn things around for themselves and their families. But more than, that I am humbled.