{"id":29972,"date":"2017-05-15T20:09:55","date_gmt":"2017-05-16T00:09:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/?p=29972"},"modified":"2017-05-16T13:26:39","modified_gmt":"2017-05-16T17:26:39","slug":"on-false-humility","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/on-false-humility\/","title":{"rendered":"On False Humility","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"

THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
\n for May 15th, 2017
\n Monday of the Fifth Week of Easter
\n Opt. Memorial of St. Isidore<\/p>\n

Liturgical texts here<\/i><\/a><\/p>\n

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THERE<\/b> was a moment while preaching at a conference recently that I felt a slight self-satisfaction in what I was doing \u201cfor the Lord.\u201d That night, I reflected on my words and impulses. I felt shame and horror that I might have, in even a subtle way, attempted to steal a single ray of God\u2019s glory\u2014a worm trying to wear the King\u2019s Crown. I thought about St. Pio\u2019s sage advice as I repented of my ego:<\/p>\n

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Let us always be on the alert and not let this very formidable enemy [of self-satisfaction] penetrate our minds and hearts, because, once it enters, it ravages every virtue, mars every holiness, and corrupts everything that is good and beautiful.<\/b> \u2014from Padre Pio\u2019s Spiritual Direction for Every Day, <\/i>edited by Gianluigi Pasquale, Servant Books; <\/i>Feb. 25th<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

St. Paul seemed acutely aware of this danger as well, especially as he and Barnabas worked signs and wonders in Christ\u2019s name. So appalled were they when the Greeks started to worship them for their miracles, that the Apostles tore their garments.<\/p>\n

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Men, why are you doing this? We are of the same nature as you, human beings. We proclaim to you good news that you should turn from these idols to the living God… (Today\u2019s first reading)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

But this is also the same Paul who said,<\/p>\n

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I will rather boast most gladly of my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may dwell with me. (2 Cor 12:8-98)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

And \u201cpower is made perfect in weakness<\/i>,” Jesus told him. Here we come to an important distinction. Neither Jesus nor Paul are saying that God\u2019s power flows through the Apostle as though he were a mere conduit, an inert object that God \u201cuses\u201d and then leaves as is. Rather, Paul knew that he was not only cooperating with grace, but\u00a0“gazing with unveiled face on the glory of the Lord,” <\/i>he was\u00a0\u201cbeing transformed into the same image from glory to glory\u201d<\/i>.[1]<\/sup><\/a>cf. 2 Cor 3:18<\/span><\/span>