Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. (Romans 12:16.)

         Here we are, still exercising the privilege of judging ourselves, so that we will not come into judgment. We are heeding the admonishment to:

Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you – unless, of course, you fail the test? (Francis Frangipane suggests paying special heed to the parts of the Gospels that we HAVE NOT underlined, the parts we have either ignored or not particularly … liked! This could be one of those!)

         In the Abbey, the nuns would say, “We ARE the people of low position!” The difficulty in this sometimes convoluted world, is balancing self-respect and proper self image with the truth of humility.

         The truth of humility for us in Cor Unum is this: our own beloved Father sits, even now and eternally, upon a throne of brilliance and glory that can only be described with word pictures : “like” gemstones and rainbows, heavenly acclaim “like” the rushing of mighty waters . . . words failed the chronicler of heaven. Nevertheless, he found humility in life.

         The apostle “whom Jesus loved” was secure in life and comforted in exile. His face had leant upon Jesus’ chest; the mother of his Lord had become his mother; he had run to see the empty tomb. John was to be cut off from the other apostles, lowness was his destiny, but he, like Paul, saw things that the eyes of men are not privileged to gaze upon. How is it that pride never overtook either of these brothers?

         Simply, it was because of the one surpassing knowledge that they both possessed.

         They knew they were loved.

Andreas Cruz photography