"low i am with you"
"For everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled while he who humbles himself shall be exalted." —Luke 18:14
"Blest are the lowly; they shall inherit the land" (Mt 5:5), for "the prayer of the lowly pierces the clouds" (Sir 35:17). The Lord promises: "This is the one whom I approve: the lowly and afflicted man who trembles at My word" (Is 66:2). The Lord also promises: "Then will I remove from your midst the proud braggarts" (Zep 3:11), "but I will leave as a remnant in your midst a people humble and lowly" (Zep 3:12).
To become lowly and thus be approved by God, we must come to Jesus and learn from Him (Mt 11:28-29). Jesus knows what His Father means by lowliness, for Jesus emptied Himself and became a human being (Phil 2:7). Jesus was born in a stable, lived in obscurity, worked as a carpenter, experienced rejection, died as a criminal, and continues to be with us under the appearances of bread and wine.
Jesus alone will take us into the meaning, mystery, and freedom of lowliness. We grow sick of trying to exalt ourselves and "get high." Life and love is in lowliness. Life and love is the lowliness of the incarnate, crucified, eucharistic Lord Jesus. Learn lowliness from Jesus, the lowly One.
Prayer: Father, You are "stern with the arrogant but to the humble" You show kindness (1 Pt 5:5). Grace me to humble myself (Lk 18:14).
Promise: "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; and those who are crushed in spirit He saves." —Ps 34:19
Praise: Praise Jesus, lowly and crucified, exalted and glorified!
Reference: (For a related teaching, order our tape on Pride and Faith on audio AV 64-1 or video V-64.)
Nihil Obstat: Reverend Robert A. Stricker, May 8, 2001
Imprimatur: †Most Reverend Carl K. Moeddel, Vicar General and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, May 18, 2001