Not only talk, but also act.

When we look carefully around us, but especially in our own lives, we must admit that we talk a lot but do little according to our words. Such behavior is not honorable for a person of faith. We often hear critical voices saying, “Preach water and drink wine!” And elsewhere, “Physician, heal thyself first!” It is hard to hear essential words when it concerns our egoism when our weaknesses are pleasing to us.

Brothers and sisters, Jesus attacked the teachers of the Scriptures and the Pharisees very sharply in the Gospel, “Everything they do, they do only to be seen by men…” (Mt. 23:5).
They are proud and two-faced. They speak beautiful words but do not want to lift a finger to live up to what they say. Christ condemns and threatens them with punishment: ‘He who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted (Mt 23:12).

Let us pause and consider these words of the Lord Jesus, “He who exalts himself shall be humbled” (Mt. 23:12).

Proud Lucifer. From the very beginning of the creation of the world, this truth was affirmed that God hates the proud. What a great position Lucifer had! Filled with pride that he was worth something, he said to God, “Nonserviam!” – “I will not serve!” God punished Lucifer’s pride. Archangel Michael will cast him out into eternal damnation.
Remember also Goliath’s battle with David. God opposes the proud. A mighty Philistine stands before the camp of the Israelites. Aware of his power and filled with pride, he blunts the blasphemous words of his adversaries. Here he is confronted by the young, inexperienced David, who puts all his hope in the hands of God and not in arms. He humbly asks God for help and victory. And the proud Goliath fell, and with his fall, the arrogance and pride of the Philistines crumbled.
Thirdly, something from history on the theme: God is opposed to the proud. Napoleon came quickly to Moscow. He was overcome by pride. He ordered coins minted to commemorate the victory. On one side was his image, and on the other was the inscription: Thine is the sky, and mine is the earth – level with God. He sent one of these coins to the Tsar. The latter had an inscription on Napoleon’s head: Mine is the whip, thine is the back. These were prophetic words, for disaster had come upon Napoleon.
God hates the proud. We can find enough examples not only in history but also in today’s world, perhaps even in our own private lives.
The lesson: Pride always turns against the proud man.

“He who humbles himself will be exalted” (Mt. 23:12).

We see a great model in the Virgin Mary. God chose the Immaculate One to be the mother of His Son. We see her humility at the angel’s annunciation when the Archangel Gabriel tells her that God has chosen her: “Behold, the handmaid of the Lord, be it done to me according to your word” (Lk 1:38). She, the handmaid, does not feel worthy that the Highest should honor her with such grace. She knows, however, that she cannot oppose the will of God, and therefore she says: “… be it done to me according to your word” (Lk 1:38). This humility was highly commended. She became the bride of the Holy Spirit, the mother of the Son of God.

We see another pattern in John the Baptist. God gives His love to the humble. The people of Jerusalem and the surrounding countryside came to John to listen to him and be baptized with the baptism of repentance. But John remains humble. He knows that he must humble himself. He says: “I am not worthy to untie his shoestring” (Lk 3:16). And this John Jesus singles out, “… among those who are born of women, there is no one greater than John” (Lk 7:28).

We see this quality of humility and lowliness in all the saints. Let us remember at least one: John Mary Vianney, parish priest of Ars. One of the most pitiful of priests. He becomes a priest only by a kind of grace because he does not pass the exams. His humility made him famous all over the world. People come from all over Ars to confess to John. John’s humility has defeated more than one proud soul.
God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. The great man is humble! Pride displeases God because it is a lie. Nor does pride displease men, for it humbles others and exalts self.

Great men have indeed been characterized by humility. Let us remember the scientist of world renown – Pasteur. When he died, his collaborator Dr. Roux said: “Thousands of mothers are grateful to him for the life of their children.” He’s the one who discovered the rabies serum. Pasteur was a truly learned man but also a humble one. And not just him.

God opposes the proud, but gives His grace to the humble.
Let us pray: O God, give us the spirit of humility, that we may be aware of our human misery, of our sins, that we may exalt ourselves above no one, and, conscious of our unworthiness, glorify your holy name.