Message in Humility As Trinidad And Tobago Celebrates 57th Independence Anniversary
Today, my country, the beautiful twin island state of Trinidad and Tobago, celebrate its 57th year of Independence. Happy Independence Trinidad and Tobago. When we look at the readings for Holy Mass for this Sunday, there is a common theme, that is humility and a pure heart, and it is all quite apt with my country’s celebration of independence.
Very often when I hear the Gospel reading for this Sunday, it reminds me of an ad I used to see on cable – I think it was for Capital One. That ad would end with the question ‘so what’s in your wallet?’ Looking at the Gospel reading, Jesus challenges us to look within ourselves to see why we do the things we do.
To take a look at this question, I would like to reflect on a couple of incidents that I saw today while I was out celebrating our country’s Independence. The first one was when my wife and I were walking towards our vantage point to pick up on the parade of military bands, my wife realized that she had dropped something and so she turned back in search of it. While she went to look for it, I stood up at a street corner where there was a barrier prohibiting the free passing of vehicles because of the whole military parade that was taking place. There were also two young police officers at that corner, obviously with the instructions not to let any vehicles through unless they had a pass. I noticed a number of people attempting to turn and in most instances, when they realized the road was blocked they just turned away and find alternative routes to where they were going.
There were some though who would try to force the issue. In one instance, a vehicle attempted to turn onto the street. The police officers did what they were supposed to do, and they asked the occupants of the vehicle if they had a pass. I did not quite hear the conversation that ensued, but it turned out that the driver of the vehicle was a senior officer. I got the impression that he felt that the officers on duty should have known who he was. So here you have a situation where two junior officers were doing what they’re supposed to do, and you would think that a senior officer would have would identify themselves and not assume their identity to be known. This was not the case, sad to say.
As I stood at the corner in amazement at how these young officers were taken for granted and in a very real sense, being disrespected, I felt a sense of shame for where we had come to as a nation and I felt obliged to apologize to the officers for how we so often make their jobs more difficult than they are already.
. . . . And the first reading starts by telling us, “my child, conduct your affairs with humility, and you will be loved more than The Giver of gifts. Humble yourself the more, the greater you are, and you will find favor with God.
In the Gospel reading for this Sunday, Jesus is invited to dine at the home of a leading Pharisee, and he noticed how the invitees were assuming the best places at the banquet. It kind of reminds me of Trinis invited to a Trini wedding reception. Most times, they will try to get the tables closest to the food – for obvious reasons. Jesus is saying “no.” Humble yourself so as to avoid any possible embarrassment. It is better to have the host ‘big you up’ than it is to be asked to move to a lower place. Then Jesus turns his attention to the host, challenging their reasons for the persons on their list of guests. He challenged them to guard against having guests over because you wanted the favor to be returned. Rather, invite those who have no way to repaying you. We should therefore, always be pure in our motives.
So rather than asking the Capital One question, the Gospel reading challenges us with the question so what is in your heart? Why do you do the things that you do? Why are you constantly seeking power and position? Is it so that you can better serve or is it so that you can wield your authority over others? When you are in authority and you have others below you, how do you treat with them? All of these are the questions that the Gospel reading is asking us, and challenging us with.
As our nation celebrates its 57th anniversary of Independence, the question undoubtedly will be asked, what are we really independent of? Yes we may no longer fall under the rule of England. Yes we may be able to put our own governments in place. Yes we have our own set of laws. Yes! Yes! Yes! But are we really independent? The word independence gives a sense of freedom and of liberation. What are we free from? Are we really free? It is a challenge to all politicians, not just in Trinidad and Tobago, but throughout the world, to be pure in their motives and the execution of their duties. Hopefully, this will not be as difficult as a camel passing through the eye of a needle; but Jesus has assured us that with God, all things are possible.
. . . . For every one who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.
As our nation continues to be confronted with crime and corruption, the readings of this Sunday’s liturgy are very relevant for the answers we seek. You see, if we are truly humble as the first reading starts out encouraging us to be, then as St. Paul writes in his letter to the Philippians, we will always consider the other person to be more important than ourselves. As such we will treat them with the respect and the dignity that they deserve. Then maybe that senior officer, and all the other persons today would have acted differently with the junior officers. Maybe we would drive with a lot more care and consideration for other road users and not turn our roadways into slaughter houses.. Maybe we would just simply treat each other – regardless of color, creed or race – with the honor and respect and the dignity that we would want for ourselves. Maybe, we will place a much, much higher value on each and every life, especially the most vulnerable.
May God grant us the grace “to act justly, to love tenderly, and to walk humbly before our God.” (Ref Micah 6:8)
