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Sunday Reflection with Fr Robin Gibbons - 5 July 2015


Fr Robin Gibbons

Fr Robin Gibbons

14th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Something that has been very helpful in my own faith life has been the gradual realization that it is in our weakness we find our true strength, discovering how humility is not an empty virtue but something we learn, work at, and put into practice. It took me a very long time, with quite a few knocks, to understand that this 'weakness' is simply what Jesus did in 'emptying' himself out for us, it is part of his call to 'follow him'!

But humility gets a bad press and isn't fashionable in our present society, often because we really get it so wrong, seeing it in negative terms rather than a positive way of being. Also because the ways of human achievement in all areas of modern life points to competition, to strength, making bold decisions and seeing success as the true way forward. Don't be deceived, that isn't where we are called. There is nothing wrong with success and achievement, but it is what happens to the people involved and how they then relate to their neighbour and world that then matters. Is it Christ I follow or my ambition?

True humility comes in many disguises, Paul has his thorn in the flesh that prevents him getting too arrogant, many of us have that too, our weaknesses that prevent us lording it over others. Often this takes time to cope with, our inner thorns may sometimes overwhelm us, but take courage, Paul reminds us that facing the truth is also the encounter with the Lord Jesus, who gives us our strength.

Then there are the unwelcome moments of humility, which come from other situations and people. We see this in the way Jesus was despised by those close to him, even when they saw his ministry of teaching and healing. I'm reminded of that comment, 'familiarity breeds contempt' because that is too often what happens to us, yes, even in our families and friendships.

Sometimes there is no healing route here, in a sense it is the Lord asking us to move on, shake the dust from our sandals and shoes, to leave friends and family, dare to be an Ezekiel, to engage with our vocation as a prophet of the Kingdom in our needy world.

Whatever life brings us; we make the words of the psalm our own. 'Our eyes are on the Lord till he shows us his mercy' (Ps 122)

Fr Robin Gibbons is an Eastern Rite Chaplain for the Melkite Greek Catholics in Great Britain.

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