Readings:
Titus 3:1-7
Luke 17:11-19
Reflection:
When I was a young bloke, we used to joke about how proud we were of our humility. My take on humility, in those days, was that it was about being self-effacing, denying one’s talents and gifts, and seeing oneself as unworthy and inferior to others. But humility is, seemingly, a more subtle and complex attribute than that. Today’s injunction from Paul (or the writer of the letter) to Titus seems to be encouraging humility from the followers of Christ and, indeed, from their leadership. So, what does it look like?
Firstly, they needed to be good citizens of where they lived. They had to seek out opportunities to do good, to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle and regardful of others. Christian kindness comes from knowing who we are and who others are in the heart of Christ. Paul reminds Titus that the Cretan people, prior to their conversion, had been a pretty wild bunch, ignorant, quarrelsome and hateful; their antics were the antithesis of these virtues. They were saved out of the compassionate grace of God, not because they were deserving rock-stars. He warns that it’s a slippery slope back into old ways. Whilst this readership is probably unlikely to go out spreading mayhem, civil unrest and insurrection, I’m sure that some of us have more subtle skills in undermining others, which require our attention.
Today’s gospel about the healing of lepers is also about compassion, gratitude and humility. As we have come to learn, God’s compassion is for all, not only for card-carrying Christians. And, whilst we insiders may feel a sense of entitlement or privilege, others who are down the pecking order, in this case a Samaritan, are equally within God’s loving purview and are humble enough to express gratitude.
On the Feast of St Paul of the Cross at Marrickville, I heard the beautiful song/hymn, This is My Song, to the tune of Finlandia, and so I ‘stole’ it to use for Remembrance Day in my parish (we will pay the copyright fee!). It contains a powerfully simple message, which resonates with our Titus reading, for the troubled times in which we are living. If we can insert the virtues of love, humility and regard into to the cacophony of hatred, we may just be able to help lower the temperature a little.
Brian Norman has been associated with the Passionists in various ways since he was three weeks old when he squared off with Fr Placid Millay CP over the baptismal font at St Brigid’s, Marrickville.