Pride and Humility (22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time)

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Both the Old Testament reading and Gospel reading for today are about the importance of humility. At first, it might seem like a no-brainer that we ought to celebrate humility and eschew pride. However, this is not so obvious. We naturally seek pride for ourselves or for our in-group. We parade our pride on the streets and seek recognition for that which we are proud of from others. The Psalmist talks about people wearing pride like a necklace (Psalm 73:6). For this reason, the Lord warns us that pride is destructive:

Pride goes before destruction,
and a haughty spirit before a fall.
It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor
than to divide the spoil with the proud (Proverbs 16:18-19)

By contrast, humility is one of the foremost Christian virtues, and has been the subject of many sermons throughout history. The church fathers frequently spoke on the necessity of humility. One classic homily by St. John Chrysostom highlights the necessity of humility as a prerequisite for true virtue:

For humbleness of mind is the foundation of the love of wisdom which pertains to us. Even if you should have built a superstructure of things innumerable; even if almsgiving, even if prayers, even if fastings, even if all virtue; unless this have first been laid as a foundation, all will be built upon it to no purpose and in vain; and it will fall down easily, like that building which had been placed on the sand. For there is no one, no one of our good deeds, which does not need this; there is no one which separate from this will be able to stand. But even if you should mention temperance, even if virginity, even if despising of money, even if anything whatever, all are unclean and accursed and loathsome, humbleness of mind being absent. Everywhere therefore let us take her with us, in words, in deeds, in thoughts, and with this let us build these graces. (Homily Concerning “Lowliness of Mind”)

J. Luis Dizon