"clothed and in his right mind" (mk 5:15, our transl.)
"When He is dealing with the arrogant, He is stern, but to the humble He shows kindness." —Proverbs 3:34
God is love (1 Jn 4:16). God is loving us perfectly and will love us always. The question is: "Will His love be 'tough love' or kind love?" We decide the answer to this question by deciding whether or not to humble ourselves. The best way to love arrogant people is to correct, discipline, and punish them so that they will come to their senses and repent. In contrast, the way to love the humble is to exalt them (Mt 23:12). How will you choose to be loved?
Proverbs 3:34, about God's dealings with the arrogant and the humble, is repeated by the author of 1 Peter (1 Pt 5:5). He elaborates on the proverb by placing it in the context of humility in relationships, especially for young men in relation to old men. He commands us to "clothe" ourselves with humility (1 Pt 5:5). We are called not just to be humble in some circumstances but to have total coverage.
Are you fully clothed in humility, or are you skimpily clad? Put all your clothes on, and let God love you with kindness.
Prayer: Father, may I not only have my armor on (see Eph 6:13) but also my clothes (see Col 3:12).
Promise: "No one lights a lamp and puts it under a bushel basket or under a bed; he puts it on a lampstand so that whoever comes in can see it." —Lk 8:16
Praise: Maria prayed for years that her husband would repent. He made a good Confession after ten years and now he and his family have joined a small Christian community.
Nihil Obstat: Reverend Robert J. Buschmiller, January 29, 1996
Imprimatur: †Most Reverend Carl K. Moeddel, Vicar General and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, February 5, 1996