There is something very poignant about the Gospel reading that underscores today’s feast of the Holy Guardian Angels. Here Jesus speaks of the virtue of humility as being the essence of greatness in response to the apostle’s question.
He likens this humility to the simplicity of children who know not the answers to humankind’s big questions but are content with the joy of play, of giving themselves over totally to the loving care of others and of living happily in the moment.
Confronted regularly in the media with the bloated perceptions of ‘greatness’ by would-be political leaders or the blatant self-justification of the powerful who are intent upon war, we must allow ourselves the considered moment to be in the mind of Jesus: you must become like little children.
Humility is the essence of truth, as many a spiritual writer has espoused. In more recent times, St Teresa of Calcutta added her voice to this when, out of her own unique experience, she wrote: humility is truth and therefore in all sincerity we must be able to look up and say, ‘I can do all things through Him who strengthens me’ (Phil 4:13). Humbling ourselves in Christ and before our God, therefore, is the truth of the Gospel.
And rest assured, we will never be alone in this endeavour: ‘For he will give his angels charge over you to guard you in all your ways; on their hands they will bear you up lest you dash your foot against a stone.’ (Psalm 91:11-12).
by Gerry Crooks