They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in synagogues,
greetings in marketplaces, and the salutation 'Rabbi.'
As for you, do not be called 'Rabbi.'
You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers.
Call no one on earth your father;
you have but one Father in heaven.
Do not be called 'Master';
you have but one master, the Christ.
The greatest among you must be your servant.
Whoever exalts himself will be humbled;
but whoever humbles himself will be exalted." Mt 23
greetings in marketplaces, and the salutation 'Rabbi.'
As for you, do not be called 'Rabbi.'
You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers.
Call no one on earth your father;
you have but one Father in heaven.
Do not be called 'Master';
you have but one master, the Christ.
The greatest among you must be your servant.
Whoever exalts himself will be humbled;
but whoever humbles himself will be exalted." Mt 23
The heart of Christ is always drawn to what is small and seemingly insignificant. This is natural since he himself has come among us as One who serves. He is the One who humbled himself accepting derision and crucifixion to unburden us, free us. Because of his exquisite, loving, crucified self-forgetfulness, the Father exalted him on high.
But how to fittingly follow the humble Lord, God Most High, who became for our sakes God most lowly? We are reminded of the words of Saint Ignatius Loyola: “What have I done for Christ? What am I doing for Christ? What ought I do for Christ?”
