Jesus taught the parable about humility in today’s Gospel when he saw the silliness of those who lacked humility. Jesus not only taught humility but was the epitome of humility. Paul says in Phil 2:
Have among yourselves
the attitude that is in Christ Jesus,
Who, though he was in the
form of God,
did not regard equality with God something to be
grasped.
Rather, he emptied himself,
taking the form of a
slave,
coming in human likeness;
and found human in
appearance,
he humbled himself,
becoming obedient to death,
even death on a cross. (Phil 2:5-8)
Jesus was the model of humility. He taught another parable on humility which we will hear eight weeks from now on the Thirtieth Sunday about a Pharisee and tax collector going to the temple to pray but only the tax collector prayed in a humble way and his prayer was heard by God.
I think we could say that, on a practical level, if someone is showing off it doesn’t do them any good and only harms them because people see what is really going on. It may be a cover for insecurity of some kind which reminds me of a saying I came across once: you are not so low that you have to make yourself so high. Our security comes from Jesus, from what Jesus has done for us. Our security doesn’t come from anything we have or do. That is why, on a practical level, showing off has the opposite effect to what was intended.
Why did Jesus teach on humility? Humility is key to one’s spiritual growth. Without humility, we suffer from some kind of pride. Without humility before God, we become disobedient to God and think we can disobey God. Without humility before God, we make ourselves a god and say we can do whatever we want. Without humility before God, we do not give God the respect and praise he is due. Without humility before God, we make up excuses for not doing what is pleasing to God. Without humility before God, we disregard God who created us and give God the smallest portion of our lives, if even that. That is why humility is key to one’s spiritual growth because without humility, unfortunately, we distance ourselves from God. That is why St. Padre Pio said humility and purity are the wings that carry us to God and make us almost divine. (De Bartoli, Carry the Cross with Padre Pio: Daily Reflections for Lent p79)
When we are embarrassed to be Catholic or display our faith or stand up for our faith in a conversation, that is not humility; that is why I sometimes say we ought to be proud to be Catholic. That is not a sinful pride; that is standing up for our beliefs in this secular world which is lacking the humility to give God his place.
Humility is the opposite to pride. Pride is one of the capital sins that we traditionally call the “seven deadly sins.” When we conquer the seven vices, we achieve their opposite virtues. For example, if we conquer gluttony, we achieve temperance and self-restraint. If we conquer greed and avarice, we become charitable. If we conquer sloth and laziness, we become diligent. If we conquer pride and vanity, we become humble. We all have interior work to do to conquer our vices and move towards their opposite virtues. Conquering pride means instead of looking for complements for ourselves, we give complements when they are due. Conquering pride means instead of trying to be one up on everyone else, we are humble and unassuming.
Sometimes people become impatient or embarrassed when they make only slow progress trying to eradicate or conquer some vice in their lives. The slow progress in conquering a weakness or vice is a cause for humility. In a letter, Padre Pio wrote:
If it happens that you suffer afflictions, whatever kind they may be, be assured that if you truly love God, everything will be turned to the good. Even when you cannot understand how any good could come of it, you can be very certain that it will undoubtedly come…. Do not lose heart about any failures, but stir up your confidence and deeper humility. Becoming discouraged or impatient after you slip is the result of a trick of the enemy. It means you are giving up your weapons, giving yourself up as conquered. You will not do this, though, because the Lord’s grace is always at hand to help you. (Letter to Antonietta Vona, November 15, 1917, in Pasquale, Padre Pio’s Spiritual Direction for Every Day (p 146-147).
Jesus was the model of humility. Humility is key to one’s spiritual growth because without humility, unfortunately, we distance ourselves from God. Without humility before God, we become disobedient to God. Without humility before God, we make ourselves a god and say we can do whatever we want. Without humility before God, we do not give God the respect and praise he is due. That is why Padre Pio said humility and purity are the wings that carry us to God and make us almost divine.
© Fr. Tommy Lane 2025
This homily was delivered in a parish in Ireland.
More Homilies for the Twenty-Second Sunday Year C
Who we really are: citizens of heaven 2007
Related: The journey from pride to humility
The greatest among you must be your servant
Book excerpt: Ruth Burrows on humility
stories about humility