4th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Zep 2:3,3:12-13
1 Cor 1:26-31
Mt 5:1-12a
…seek humility…
Of all the virtues, humility is probably the hardest for me to cultivate — largely because it is so difficult to define and measure. With other virtues, like patience, I know I am practising it when I restrain my anger instead of lashing out. Kindness and love can be shown through outward actions. But humility? How do I know when I am truly being humble?
Is humility simply the absence of pride? And how do I reconcile this with being taught from young to ‘take pride’ in everything I do?
In my pursuit of humility, I’ve realised that I’ve encountered it in different forms.
The first was false humility. In my younger days, coming from a top school labelled ‘elitist’ by the media and being part of a track team known for its winning record, it was difficult not to feel proud of my achievements. Intelligence and athletic ability are gifts from God, yes — but they also required discipline and effort. I didn’t just show up at exams or the start line unprepared.
Yet, whenever I was congratulated, I felt the need to downplay everything so as not to appear arrogant: “I was just lucky that…” (fill in the blank). I thought this was humility. In truth, it was pride disguised as modesty. I now know I could have simply accepted the compliment with a ‘Thank you’.
Then there was forced humility. For a long time, I believed that anything was possible if you put your heart and mind into it. In 2017, I ran my first marathon, despite never having attempted even a 10km run before signing up for the marathon. To me, it was just a matter of training. So, when people told me they couldn’t even run 2km, much less 42km, I would insist that anyone could run if they trained hard enough.
Except now, I can’t run anymore. Not because of a lack of discipline, but because of physical limitations. Pushing beyond these limits would only cause further damage. I’ve been forced to eat humble pie — and discovered how hard pride is to swallow.
The term ‘humble pie’ actually comes from the medieval ‘umble pie’, made from deer innards (umbles) and considered inferior food, eaten by the lower classes. To eat it meant to be brought low.
These days, when I take slow walks and watch runners whiz past me, or head to the pool for rehabilitation exercises instead of swimming laps, I wrestle with my ego — the feeling of being down a peg because I am “not able to”.
Is this the humility we are called to seek?
According to Google, true humility involves having a realistic view of oneself, acknowledging one’s limitations and dependence on others or on God. In today’s Gospel, Jesus describes it as being “poor in spirit” – to recognise that we have no merit of our own and are completely dependent on God’s grace.
I had a glimpse of this true humility last year, when I was injured just before the Tokyo Marathon, a race coveted by many runners. Unable to defer or get a refund, I showed up at the start line limping and unable to run.
That day, I surrendered the race to God. I knew I could not do it on my own. Miraculously, I completed the race in 5 hours and 51 minutes. It was far from my personal best, but it remains the best race I have ever run — because God carried me through every step.
When people congratulated me on my grit, I found myself praising God instead. There was no credit I could claim — only gratitude: for the kindness of others, and for God’s sustaining strength. As St Paul writes, “If anyone wants to boast, let him boast in the Lord.” (1 Cor 1:31)
For me, true humility is recognising that everything we have and achieve is not by our own merit, but by God’s doing. It is trusting in His providence, and living with a grateful heart. Rather than being forced to eat humble pie, humility invites us to learn to appreciate its taste — and to be thankful for the pie.
Brothers and sisters… a slice of ‘umble pie’, anyone?
(Today’s OXYGEN by Esther Leet)
Prayer: Lord Jesus, teach me to seek humility — not by denying the gifts You have given me, but by recognising that everything I have comes from You. Help me to depend on Your grace, and to give You glory in all things. Amen.
Thanksgiving: Thank You, Lord, for the moments that humble me and shape me. Thank you for always being there for me and for giving me a grateful heart that learns to see your goodness in everything. Amen.
OXYGEN 
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