Reflection for Monday, 3 April 2023

 Humility is the perfect quietness of the heart

There is a proverb which says, “Humility is the perfect quietness of the heart”. It implies to expect nothing, to wonder at nothing that is done to me, and to feel nothing done against me. It is to be at rest. Our Father Founder St. Antony Mary Claret also used to say, “Humility, obedience, meekness, and love are the virtues that shine through the Cross and the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar. O my Jesus, help me imitate you!” After having this background let us have a short reflection on the readings which we have just heard.

Today our mother church invites us to reflect on the love of God for humanity. From the first reading of Isaiah 42:1-7 we are presented with the hymn of praise which can be called the eschatological hymn of praise. It in a way lays for us the foundation to understanding the gospel of John 12:1-11. Both readings have got similar elements.

We see acts of love in this gospel, expressed by the actions of Mary. She took the pound of costly perfume made by nard and poured it on the feet of Jesus. This is an act of love where we find Mary failing to withhold the feelings she had towards Jesus and showing them without fearing how others will look at her or what they will say. This is a challenging call for us all. Are we able to show our love for Jesus to the people surrounding us?  The anointing action can also be interpreted as the foreshadowing of the burial of Jesus. We are invited to love God first and also people around us. Our Father Founder understood very well the power of love as he says in his Autobiography, “the blessed sacrament is the magnet of love”. Judas sees Mary’s act as a waste, but Jesus sees love!

Humility is another good lesson that we can draw from this reading. Washing the feet teaches us great humility and that we have to bear with each other’s problems and difficulties. Let us learn from Mary and Jesus to live well with our neighbors so that in the end we can possess the kingdom of God.

Prayer is a time of living in the fragrance and the scent of God. It is gentle, light, and lasts long. It comes off us; if we live in love, we spread love, and others know that something deep in us gives a fragrance to all of our life.

Gastor Benedict

III Year Theology