The world will often tell you that humility is a weakness—that it’s degrading and means letting others walk all over you. Jesus carried the weight of the world’s sin, yet he was far from weak. Right throughout history people have struggled with pride and the desire for status and recognition. The Pharisees, for instance, were known for flaunting their religious practices and seeking honour in the eyes of others. Today, in our reading, Jesus exposed their pride and pointed instead to the virtue of humility.

Humility is actually a strength. It’s rooted in truth—the truth that we are creatures, not the Creator. As St. Paul asked, ‘What do you have that you did not receive?’ Everything we are and have is a gift. And if that’s true, then there’s no room for boasting. St. Augustine said that we are made from nothing and tend toward nothing, a reflection of our dependence on God and our human frailty.

To believe in God is to acknowledge this dependence, but to live it out daily—that’s the challenge. Thomas Aquinas defined humility as veritas, truth. It’s not about putting ourselves down but about seeing ourselves as we truly are: beloved children of God, yet entirely reliant on Him. In our pride, we forget this and try to become our own gods. The ego demands constant attention and praise. But when we let go of it, what freedom we find! True humility isn’t degrading—it lifts us up into the joy and peace of living in right relationship with God.

By Fr Isaac Falzon