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Sunday Reflection with Fr Robin Gibbons 9 July 2017


It seems clear from our great spiritual traditions that at some point on our journey we are going to discover that power, wealth, celebrity and success are not the answer to the meaning of our existence. These things might give us comfort, enable us to carve a position in the world but they cannot last. Many things can change them, illness, catastrophe, aging, above all that journey into our letting go in death. So the long wisdom of our Christian religious tradition stresses that somewhere along the way we need to listen carefully to those words of scripture and of Jesus in particular which give us an alternative view point. Suddenly we begin to discover that true wisdom is not cleverness or a sharp mind or even great intelligence.

What then does Jesus tell us it is? Paul talks about him emptying himself out, descending so to speak from the divine life to cast his lot with us on earth, but going further to become like the slaves and trodden down creatures of our world. Then through death on the cross he is raised on high as we are with him. (Phil 2: 6-10) To be truly wise is to be humble, that is found in emptying ourselves out so that the wisdom of God can fill us.

Does that really happen you may ask? God must be very foolish as to put any trust in human beings! Well there are answers, but they are often hidden in the midst of life. Look around you, who do you, listen to? Whom do you trust? I think that it is the person whose wisdom and experience goes deep and is part of them, usually people with a very rich deep and hidden sense of humility. People of whom we can truthfully say: ‘they walk with God and are God’s friends’!

Running throughout scripture is a great sense of expectation that the Lord will come to save us, that in the end God will raise us and all that is life up out of pain and darkness, but it won’t be through military might or economic power. It won’t be by subjugating races and peoples. Zechariah says that the Lord will come in deepest humility, riding on that lovely, but ill used beast of burden, but also the humans loyal work mate, the colt of an ass. Matthew pushes that image further, as the ass is a beast of burden, so will the savior of the world be the one who lifts our burdens and lightens our load. Then we will find true wisdom in the compassion and love of Christ our God who reveals himself to us not in cleverness and knowledge of things, but in the centre of our being, in his heart of love. That is the wisdom and humbleness of God!


An ancient prayer for humility.

O you who are faithful and true, do not utterly reject us though we are often lukewarm in your service. Save us from thinking that we are rich in good works; show us where we are poor and blind and naked; and as you chasten those whom you love, help us to take to heart the reproofs of your Spirit and to be zealous and to repent. O lord let your people hear your voice and be open to you, that in the power of so holy and mighty an Indweller your church may conquer, and we finally may be enthroned with you in your kingdom. Amen.

- The Gelasian Sacramentary

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