One Minute Reflection – 10 March –  ‘The greatest humiliation …’

One Minute Reflection – 10 March – Tuesday of the Second Week of Lent, Readings: Isaiah 1:10, 16- 20, Psalm 50:8-9, 16-17, 21, 23, Matthew 23:1-12

“Whoever exalts himself will be humble
but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” … Matthew 23:12

REFLECTION – “I don’t think there is anyone who needs God’s help and grace as much as I do.   Sometimes I feel so helpless and weak.   I think that is why God uses me.   Because I cannot depend on my own strength, I rely on Him twenty-four hours a day.   If the day had even more hours, then I would need His help and grace during those hours as well. All of us must cling to God through prayer.   My secret is very simple – I pray.   Through prayer I become one in love with Christ.   I realise that praying to Him is loving Him. (…)

People are hungry for the Word of God that will give peace, that will give unity, that will give joy.   But you cannot give what you don’t have.   That’s why it is necessary to deepen your life of prayer.   Be sincere in your prayers.   Sincerity is humility and you acquire humility only by accepting humiliations.
All that has been said about humility, is not enough to teach you humility.   All that you have read about humility, is not enough to teach you humility.   You learn humility only by accepting humiliations.   And you will meet humiliation all through your life.   The greatest humiliation is to know that you are nothing.   This you come to know, when you face God in prayer.

Often a deep and fervent look at Christ is the best prayer.   I look at Him and He looks at me.   When you come face to face with God, you cannot but know that you are nothing, that you have nothing.” … St Mother Teresa of Calcutta (1910-1997) – No Greater Love

PRAYER – God our Father, help us to teach others about You by our example as well as our words.   Teach us Lord to accept the humiliations we suffer, to take the lowest place, to offer our nothingness to You, that we may become like Your divine Son.   May His Mother and ours, the Blessed Virgin Mary clothe us in her gentleness and humility. Through Christ our Lord, with the Holy Spirit, God for all eternity, amen.