Do I Know Who I Am?
I am of the mind that oftentimes negative examples of what not to do, or not to say, or not to act like can be just as helpful as positive examples.
Clearly, the word for today, at least from God’s Word in the First Reading and the Gospel, is humble. But what does it mean to be humble? We often mistakenly define this word, or have a hard time understanding what it consists of. As I’ve been praying with the readings this week two stories have come to mind that have proven helpful for me in trying to “get” what Jesus is trying to teach you and me.
The first story has to do with one of my nieces. She’s soon to graduate from college and so was looking for a summer job back in the late winter. Her father, my brother-in-law, set her up at the company from which he retired a few years ago: BP. What sounded like a good, laid back job for a college student back in February quickly became otherwise, as my niece worked these past few months in the complaint center for BP. It was, as you can imagine a daily torrent of angry, frustrated and indignant calls. One day in particular, she received a call from a man who, as the conversation went on as he apparently did not get the answers he was looking for, finally erupted at her, “Don’t you know who I am?!?” “No, sir,” my niece said, “I don’t.” Turns out he was one of the leaders on a legal team that was in the process of suing BP. My niece answered him, or thought of answering him (depending on who tells the story), “Well, don’t you know who I am?” I’m a part-time college student working a summer job at a 1-800 call center. If you’re so important, why are you talking to me?!?”
The second story comes to mind as we draw near again to that date that is forever changed for most of us, September 11. I was in an airport that day, watching the planes fly into the World Trade Center, waiting in line to board my fight in Midway Airport. As you can imagine, or remember if you too were flying that day, all became bedlam within seconds. We were rushed out of the airport and on to vans that took us to hotels where we spent the rest of the day glued to the TV as more and more reports came in and footage was shown of the devastation caused by the terrorists. At one point as we were watching, the newscaster, a prominent network anchorman, was handed a piece of paper from off screen and read it to himself, becoming even more subdued in his expression, and then said these words I’ll never forget. “I was just told the origin and destination of one of those planes that crashed. I often have taken that flight. It’s one on which it’s common to see many celebrities on board. There might well have been some important people on that plane.”
There might well have been some important people on that plane? “Some”? You mean, people like you? A news man, or an actress, or a journalist for a magazine or an athlete? Those kinds of people?
That arrogant and ignorant comment, together with my niece’s telephone friend yelling at her, “Don’t you now who I am?!?” seem to be wonderful, negative examples to show us what humility is not. We could add countless other examples: the pompous professional athlete who’s calling attention to himself, the politician who abuses his or her office for personal gain, the members of the clergy who hide behind titles without aspiring to live up to the title, and on and on. These people would certainly walk right in and assume they’re in the seat of honor at a dinner. I mean, whom else would it be for?
But God’s Word tells us, “Conduct your affairs with humility and you will be loved more than a giver of gifts.” How true this is. The arrogant, the pompous, the proud are simply annoying, as they always seek to bring everything back around to themselves. Of course, the problem is that I can often be arrogant, pompous and proud. The problem is that I can often be inclined to think in the midst of conversations that become heated, “Don’t you know who I am?!?”
Which brings us back to humility, for to be humble means for me in fact to know who I am. It means to have an honest, accurate assessment of myself. The word humble comes from the Latin word, humus, which means soil, or earth. To be humble then is to know that the truth about myself is simply this: I am dust and ashes. I am nothing, or better, nothing special. Everything I have is a gift I have received, therefore there’s nothing to boast of. But though I’m dust and ashes, though I’m nothing special, I am special, for I’m made by God in His own image and likeness. His Son became man for me. Bled for me. Died for me. Rose for me. The truth is that I am made by God for infinite joy. But all of this is true not just for me but for every other person I ever meet or see or speak with, regardless of title, income, age, education, size, physical beauty or color. There are no unimportant people. Or, more positively, every single person is equally important to God. And therefore should be to me. Let us ask the Lord today to give us a more honest assessment of ourselves; let us strive to root out any feelings of superiority or self-importance, and let us be on the lookout for chances to serve one another in love.
22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
August 29, 2010
Year C