WEDNESDAY HOMILY: MOST HOLY NAME OF JESUS – YEAR B
THEME: ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR LIMITATIONS
BY: FR. KARABARI PAUL
“Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.”
One thing we must learn to do is to be fully aware of our limitations; acknowledging what we can’t do for those around us. John the Baptist appeared at a time when the people of Israel needed a Messiah. Severally, the people felt he was the one they were expecting. In the Gospel of today (John 1:29-34), John saw Jesus and quickly pointed at Him to his followers. By so doing, he identified the spiritual resource for them without claiming to have the solution he hadn’t. Sometimes, pride doesn’t allow us to know our limits. And we are not humble enough to learn.
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To keep growing in life, we have to become lifelong learners. And learning requires submission; a quality of character we sometimes think doesn’t apply to us. We think submission is ‘just for those other people who need to be led’. This is particularly true in our early years when w are sure that we know it all and use every opportunity to prove it. Reaching for a good adviser takes real humility of heart.
The truth is, if we are not teachable, we will never reach our full potential. And both leaders and followers need to learn. The more we think we know, the less likely we are to place ourselves under the influence of someone who really knows and can help us grow. John the Baptist showed his disciples whom they could learn better from and be saved. If we are proud, we will likely promise people what we can’t offer. This is especially true when we view ourselves as more capable, passionate, and talented than others around us. Wise people are always willing to acknowledge their limitations and ask for help from someone with more knowledge or experience. Only naive people would work under the assumption that they can make all the right decisions without good input from others who have been in similar situations. But they can’t.
Here are three Scriptures from the book of Proverbs that we need to stop and consider today: 1) ‘The way of fools seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice’ (Proverbs 12:15). 2) ‘Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed’ (Proverbs 15:22). 3) ‘Listen to advice and accept discipline, and at the end you will be counted among the wise’ (Proverbs 19:20). It’s not just what our advisers know, it’s what they see that makes them valuable to us. They are an extra pair of eyes and ears. And in a complex world full of changing situations, that is always useful! GOD IS STILL ON THE THRONE. May God never deprive us of His grace and blessings this year through Christ Our Lord Amen. Good morning.
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