For everyone who exalts himself will be humiliated, and whoever exalts himself will be exalted.

Jesus noticed that guests liked choosing top places. In our churches, however, there is an opposite tendency: rather, we try not to be too forward, in the “first line” for the altar, but to keep a certain distance. Perhaps there is humility, perhaps even shyness or fear. Even at school, children do not like the first bench near the department too much, as if they know that it is not good to be too supervised and within reach of the teacher. But our Lord has something else in mind. He wants to tell us that for a person who wants to discover a truly rich spiritual life and intense friendship with God, it is essential that he always come from a base of profound humility by silencing any self-esteem and the desire to flock forward.

A wise mystic spoke of his life like this: when I was young, I was revolutionary – full of strength and pride, and I thought I could change the whole world. When I was a middle-aged man, I found that half of my life had passed and I didn’t change anyone. At that time, I begged God to change at least those in the midst of whom I live – my family and friends – that was enough for me. Now that I am an old man, I see that I was stupid and pray: Lord, give me the grace to change only myself. If I begged for this from the beginning, I would have wasted my whole life. Sv. Augustine said: start from small things if you want to be big. Dig a deep foundation of humility if you intend to build high.

“Friend, go up!” – tells us the Lord Jesus inviting us on the path of our spiritual growth. Our coming closer to God, going further and higher, happens according to how He himself attracts and attracts each of us. This is the only true and sure way. Who would like to surely foresee the progressive steps of this spiritual path on his own will soon realize that he is being pushed to something he has no ability and which is not yet his own. In spiritual life it is very important to be guided, to be humble, obedient, to hold back, not to want anything by yourself and at all costs.

Often we can observe in politics the struggle for power and popularity, self-confident gestures, where self-confident ambitions to sit as high as possible may find themselves in conflict with their own mission to serve others and to deploy all forces for that. Conversely, there are many examples in the lives of saints where the call to supreme service, such as the Pontifical, Episcopal, or Priestly, has been linked to these humble hearts with a great burden when only God’s will helped them to make a difficult decision and “advance”.

Ján Mária Vianney, the parish priest of Ars, was still a torment for teachers at school. He certainly wanted to be a priest, but he learned only with great effort and had to repeat classes. He was so little gifted that when he was 21, he had to seek help from a 12-year-old classmate. Once this classmate was still explaining to John the problem of mathematics, but he couldn’t understand it. At that time the 12-year-old classmate could not stand it and slapped John in front of the others. But he did not return the blow, but he knelt before him and said, forgive me. Sorry I’m so stupid. The classmate did not expect this, and he was so upset by John’s behavior that he cried over himself.

At the time of Holy Communion, the following also applies to us: Friend, advance above. At that moment, the distance between God and man seemed to disappear. He penetrates into us and his perfect life is connected with our poor and fragile life. Dag Hammarskjold wrote: To be both humble and proud in the spirit of faith is to experience that I am nothing to God, but God is in me.