Dear friends in Christ

In the Readings of the Mass this Sunday, Jesus offers us a lesson in the virtue of humility. His parable reminds us of the need to know our place, to avoid being blinded by ambition and letting life become a frantic pursuit of ever greater goals, for which in many cases, we are unqualified and sooner or later may cause us to be humiliated. Ambition, one of the forms of pride, is often the cause of deep dissatisfaction in the person who suffers from it. Why do you look for the first places? Why do you want to be above others?…asks Saint John Chrysostom. Every one of us has a natural appetite for honour and glory. Ambition is the disordered tendency to look for honour, to exercise authority, or to have a position that is in some way superior, or at least appears to be so. The virtue of humility has nothing to do with being a shrinking violet! But it does allow us to be fully aware of our God-given talents; to be able to see ourselves as God see us—and as other do—and not some fabricated or exalted notion who who we think we are. Everything good is from God; all that comes from us is imperfect and flawed. And so, the lively consideration of graces received makes us humble, because a knowledge of them excites gratitude (St Francis de Sales, Introduction to the Devout Life III,5)). In order to grow in humility we need to be able to appreciate, on the one hand, our nothingness; and on the other, all the gifts God has given us, and the talents from which he expects fruit. In spite of all our defects we are bearers of divine treasures of inestimable value: we are God’s instruments. And since we want to be good instruments, the smaller and more miserable we see ourselves, in true humility, the more Our Lord will supply everything we are lacking (St Francis de Sales, ibid).

As our Schools and Colleges prepare to resume work for the coming academic year, we wish all those who work and study in them, every grace and blessing. May our Catholic places of learning truly be oases of peace, integrity and holiness.

God bless you all!

Msgr Kevin Hale