Today's gospel shows a real battle between pride and humility. The proud Pharisees could not believe that this lowly carpenter - Jesus - was the prophet that they were all waiting for. They could not comprehend the fact that anyone of any value would come out of Galilee. The humble guards, on the other hand, showed an openness to the possibility that Jesus truly was the prophet when they said: "never before has anyone spoken like this man."
In our daily lives we are challenged by pride which can move us to love ourselves. Humility on the other hand moves us to assess our true motives in life. Pride encourages us to embrace our thoughts and blur any truth which might contradict our beliefs. Humility encourages us to listen humbly and to come to a true assessment of ourselves without merit.
Jesus did not fulfill the expectations the Pharisees had of a prophet. They expected an avenging Messiah not an all loving all accepting God. In their pride, they overlooked the invitation to salvation which was offered to them. The same salvation is not imposed on us either but rather it is offered to us also. We can accept it through our humility, realizing that we are loved and accepted despite all our faults. Or we can reject it through pride assuming that a thirst for salvation is more appropriate for the sinners of the world rather than us!
Our Lenten invitation today is to strip ourselves of any preconceived notions we have of God and instead be open and accepting to the God Jesus reveals; a God that walks our walk, feels our pain, knows our anguish and revels in our joy. A God that sends his Spirit to guide us in our journey of salvation back to Him.
In our daily lives we are challenged by pride which can move us to love ourselves. Humility on the other hand moves us to assess our true motives in life. Pride encourages us to embrace our thoughts and blur any truth which might contradict our beliefs. Humility encourages us to listen humbly and to come to a true assessment of ourselves without merit.
Jesus did not fulfill the expectations the Pharisees had of a prophet. They expected an avenging Messiah not an all loving all accepting God. In their pride, they overlooked the invitation to salvation which was offered to them. The same salvation is not imposed on us either but rather it is offered to us also. We can accept it through our humility, realizing that we are loved and accepted despite all our faults. Or we can reject it through pride assuming that a thirst for salvation is more appropriate for the sinners of the world rather than us!
Our Lenten invitation today is to strip ourselves of any preconceived notions we have of God and instead be open and accepting to the God Jesus reveals; a God that walks our walk, feels our pain, knows our anguish and revels in our joy. A God that sends his Spirit to guide us in our journey of salvation back to Him.
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