2022/11/21

66. True Humility

As we have discussed, the expression "bride of Christ" in the understanding of the Church found in the Vatican II documents does not fit God's desire to be the true parent of men. If comparing the Church to the "bride of Christ," our heavenly Father is as if he were the Father-in-law of the Church. This metaphor also affected Sacrosanctum Concilium, the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy (cf. Sacrosanctum Concilium, v. 7, 84 and 85). Then its influence was manifested in the words the priest recites with the congregation just before communion in the Mass celebrated according to the Roman Missal. 

The words are taken from the words of the centurion who was concerned about the illness of his son (servant) by which he humbly refused Jesus' offer, even though Jesus himself had said, "I will come and heal him" (cf. Matthew 8:5-13). The centurion's humility shows that he did not know God, the true parent of man. Jesus, who knew all the thoughts of men, saw the centurion as having the faith appropriate to the particular situation at this time, hearing the analogy he drew to refuse his offer because of humility. But the centurion's words are inappropriate for the faithful who call God their heavenly Father. That is because Jesus, at his last supper, taught them in the utmost display of divine humility, kneeling and washing the feet of his disciples. 

On this occasion, Peter said, "You shall never wash my feet", to which Jesus replied, "If I do not wash you, you have no part in me" (John 13:8). In the face of God's humility, man's humility would rather cut off his relationship with God. Indeed, the centurion's humility deprived his son (servant) and his family of the opportunity to encounter Jesus. In addition, if a believer wants to receive the Eucharist and nevertheless, following the centurion's humility, says, "Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed," there will naturally come about contradiction. 

On one occasion, Jesus asked his disciples, "But who do you say that I am?" Simon Peter replied, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matthew 16:16). The words of Jesus that followed are filled with the joy of the son in honour of the Father: "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 16:17). These words revealed by the heavenly Father, the words of Peter, who was made blessed by Jesus, become the true words recited by the blessed people who were invited to the supper of the Lamb of God (cf. Revelation 19:9). They are the very words that the faithful should recite in the presence of the Eucharist. 

Jesus in the Eucharist still asks the faithful: "But who do you say that I am?" When they say in reply, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God," Jesus, receiving these words revealed by the heavenly Father, will tell each of them: "I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it" (Matthew 16:18).

Maria K. M.