Hubris within US – What Keeps Us Blind from Epiphany – What Killed Christ

What is the problem with the statement, "Is he the son of Joseph?"(Luke 4:22)? In fact, why the Nazarene synagogue congregation became so angry and spiteful to Jesus, upon that statement? 


To entertain these question, we need to examine our ego. 

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In my blog article, “First Stumbling Block on the Path of Epiphanies – Based on Cycle C Gospel Reflections  Until the Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time”(January 31, 2016), I wrote that the first stumbling block was cast into the way of Jesus’ epiphanies, during his first teaching at the synagogue in his hometown, Nazareth, based on the Gospel reading for the 4^th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C. What is the “stumbling block”? What do I mean by “the way of Jesus’ epiphanies”?

First, let me explain about the way of Jesus’ epiphanies.

One of my exegeses of the New Testament, including the Gospels, focuses on the progression of divine manifestations through Jesus by the power of the Father in heaven and then through the actions of Jesus by the power of Jesus himself, as it is the power of the Father in heaven, poured into him upon his baptism.  In this context, as I also explained in my aforementioned blog article, epiphany means a manifestation of the invisible God and divinity to human senses, such as vision and hearing.

The word, “epiphany” is consisted of two Greek words. Its prefix, “epi” suggests “above”, and the rest, “phainein” means “to manifest”, “to appear”. The word, “phenotype”, and the word, “phenomena”, are also derived from the Greek word, “phainein”, as these words are related to something observable or recognizable, because of manifestation or appearance – coming above the surface of invisibility. Therefore, epiphany can be any phenomena, in which the invisible God makes Godself manifested in a way to be perceived and recognized by human senses, especially in vision. It is actually “theophany”, which literally means God (theo) is manifesting (phainein), above (epi) the surface of invisibility.

Epiphany is not limited to what the Feast of Epiphany celebrates, the Magi’s homage to Jesus, when he was around 2 years old, recognizing him as the King.  In fact, epiphany begins with the Nativity of the Lord, the Word in flesh, coming out of the immaculate body of Mary, as it was the very first moment when the invisible God was seen by humans.  Following this initial epiphany, there is the Presentation of the Lord as the second epiphany, followed by the visitation of the Magi as the third epiphany, which is followed by the Baptism of the Lord, the fourth epiphany.  All four Gospel stories are built upon these first four epiphanies – though Mark’s Gospel begins with the third epiphany: the Baptism of the Lord.

In this sense, the Advent Season reflects the preparation for the very first epiphany: the Nativity of the Lord, and the Christmas Season reflects the first four epiphanies. Then, the fourth epiphany, which is the very first miracle that Jesus made: turning water into the choicest wine during the wedding banquet at Cana, is reflected in the Gospel reading for the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time on Cycle C. In the Gospel narratives for both the Third Sunday and the Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time on Cycle C, the epiphanic event of Jesus is the initiation of his teaching. 

According to Luke 4, Jesus initiated his teaching of the Word at the synagogue of his home town, Nazareth. He opened the scroll of Isaiah’s prophecy and revealed the meaning of its portion on the Messianic mission of bringing the glad tidings (Good News) to the poor (Anawin). As Jesus proclaimed that Isaiah’s prophecy of the glad tidings for the poor was being fulfilled in the words spoken by him, it became epiphany.  It is because the divinity in the Word the scroll manifested loud and clear in Jesus’ “dabar”(spoken words).

Ever since the Nativity, which is the very first epiphany, series of epiphanies were reflected through the Sunday Gospel readings during Christmas Season, the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, and the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time. These readings point to how the works of the Messiah will lead to salvation. Up to this point, there was no disruption in this evolving flow of salvific epiphanies. However, in the Gospel reading for the Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Luke 4:21-30), when the congregation in the Nazarene synagogue who heard Jesus’ teaching said, “Is he the son of Joseph?” (Luke 4:22), their receptivity to epiphany suddenly changed 180 degreesb– from awesome amazement into angry aversion.  The situation resulted in expulsion of Jesus.  In fact, what made the synagogue congregation so hateful against Jesus instantly was the way Jesus himself responded to the “Is he the son of Joseph?” statement.

In response to, “Is he the son of Joseph?”(Luke 4:22), Jesus replied:

“Surely you will quote me this proverb, ‘ Physician, cure yourself’, and say, ‘Do here in your native place the things that we heard were done in Capernaum’. Amen, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own native place. Indeed,, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah when the sky was closed for three and a half years and a severe famine spread over the entire land. It was none of these that Elijah was sent, but only to a widow in Zarephath in the land of Sidon. Again, there were many lepers in Israel during the time of Elisha the prophet; yet not one of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian” (Luke 4:23-27).

This response of Jesus to the congregation’s “crab mentality” statement, which arose from the congregation points out the spiritual blindness and deafness to the epiphany that Jesus just made through his teaching, reminding how God’s chosen people, during the time of the Old Testament, also were blind and deaf to divine scheme evident in the mentioned acts of prophets, such as Elijah and Elisha. It also reminded the congregation that the Gentiles may be better in regard to recognizing epiphany in Jesus’ actions, as in the case with a widow in Zarephath in Sidon (1 Kings 17:7-24)and in the case with Naaman of Syria (2 Kings 5).

In his response, Jesus was telling the synagogue congregation that they are just as spiritually blind and deaf as their ancestors of the time of the Old Testament, the generations that were unable to appreciate their prophets, such as Elijah and his successor, Elisha. In fact, ones who were able to recognize the divine in these prophets’ acts were Gentiles, such as the widow In Zeraphath and Naaman of Syria. Hearing this response from Jesus, the congregation grew so furious toward Jesus as they must have felt  that Jesus regarded them worse than the Gentiles.

What is the problem here?

First, what is the matter with the statement, “Is he the son of Joseph?”  Second, why the congregation reacted with strong aversion to Jesus as he responded to their statement about him as the son of Joseph?

In the latter portion of the Gospel reading for the Third Sunday, Luke 4:14-21, Jesus conducted his very first teaching, upon opening the scroll of Isaiah’s prophecy and proclaimed its prophecy on the glad tidings being fulfilled as the congregation heard him speak.  Following this Lucan Gospel narrative, on the Fourth Sunday, in Luke 4:21-30, the synagogue crowd were so amazed at Jesus teaching but then casted the statement, “Is he the son of Joseph?”(Luke 4:22).

Imagine, if nobody in the congregation had ever said, “Is he the son of Joseph?”. Perhaps, then, they would have remained astonished by Jesus’ teaching and began to appreciate his presence as a new prophet.  It was when God’s first chosen people, the Israelites, had not had any prophet for about 400 years ever since Malachi. They would have thanked God for sending such an amazing prophet-teacher to their synagogue in Nazareth.  However, as soon as they saw Jesus as the son of Joseph, they probably could have thought that the son of Joseph had no business in preaching in the synagogue as he is mere an ordinary man, like anyone else in the congregation. In their mentality, only a trained rabbi could preach in the synagogue as Jesus did. Their initial expectation and impression on Jesus as an amazing new rabbi-prophet turned out be a bubble to be busted with the statement, “Is he the son of Joseph?”  Thus, this issue reflects a typical problem of our tendency  to make assumption in a way to foster self-serving interest. This problem often leads to our close-mindedness.

The statement, “Is he the son of Joseph?” also reflects crab mentality of the congregation.  Until they realized that Jesus was just the son of ordinary man, Joseph, like anyone else in the congregation, they seemed to have thought of Jesus as a very special rabbi-prophet to fulfill Isaiah’s prophecy made more than 600 years before. However, as soon as they recognized Jesus as an ordinary man, they must have felt rather annoyed, because of their crab mentality, which is a form of jealousy.  Of course, psychologically, jealously comes out of insecure self – namely, narcissism.

In terms of the synagogue congregation’s angry and aversive reaction to Jesus comment on them in response to the “Is he the son of Joseph?” statement, the problem is their pride, which makes them think of themselves superior to the Gentiles.  Hearing from an ordinary man, the son of Joseph, who has no “credential” to preach, telling them that the Gentiles are better than they, their pride sure makes them angry at Jesus.

It is evident that the self-centeredness of the congregation made them blind and deaf to the divine manifestation – epiphany – in Jesus’ teaching on the Word from the scroll in the synagogue.  Not only their spiritual ignorance, their attachment to ego also leads to their vain pride and makes them easily hurt and become angry at those who challenge their assumption and pride.  That is why the congregation grew in anger and spitefulness, expelling Jesus out of Nazareth.

It was out of their own spiritual ignorance that the Nazarenes rejected Jesus and the epiphany in his rabbinic teaching.  Beneath their ignorance, it was their narcissism that prompted them to become angry and hateful toward Jesus when they recognized him as just the son of Joseph and as they felt they were put down lower than the Gentile by Jesus’s response to the “Is he the son of Joseph?” statement.

The statement, “Is he the son of Joseph?, represents the Nazarenes’  closed-mindedness, cognitive stiffness, which leads to their confirmation bias. Because of this psychological problem, the Nazarenes failed to recognize epiphany in Jesus’ amazing teaching on the Word of God from the scroll of Isaiah’s prophecy, as he was just the son of Joseph in their eyes. Their confirmation bias prevented them from recognizing Jesus beyond the son of Joseph, thus, keeping them blind to the epiphanic truth that he is the Word, which is God (John 1:1), in visible flesh (John 1:14), though Mary, Joseph, shepherds at the Nativity scene, the Magi, Anna and Simeon, John the Baptist, and, perhaps,  the servers of the wedding banquet at Cana were able to experience epiphanies. Unlike the Nazarenes, they were able to recognize divine manifestation in rather unexpected places, such as in the stable in Bethlehem in a little baby, Jess, of a poor peasant couple, Mary and Joseph, because they were all poor in spirit (Matthew 5:3), meaning that they were humble.

As we are poor in spirit – humble, being Anawin, to whom God has promised to bring glad tidings (Isaiah 61:1, we are free from what our ego may clouds our vision and hearing. Thus, we are open to whatever the way God manifests Godself. In other words, we are able to recognize epiphany as it happens, regardless of our own ego-driven assumptions and expectations.  In such a state, free from ego’s influence, being poor in spirit, then, we are free from confirmation bias, which makes our cognition limited only to experience that fits our own ego-driven assumptions and expectations, while rejecting otherwise.

Because the Nazarenes in the synagogue were plagued with confirmation bias, due to their strong self-centered attachment to their own ego, their spiritual vision and hearing were immediately blocked when the  statement, “Is he the son of Joseph?” was cast out.  Thus, it became a stumbling block laid on the path of epiphany of Jesus.

The statement, “Is he the son of Joseph?”, reflects the Nazarene synagogue congregation’s confirmation bias, which we all possess, due to our ego.  The bias rejects the epiphanic reality that Isaiah’s prophecy on glad tidings for Anawin (Isaiah 61:1), was fulfilled in the proclamation made by the son of Joseph, because in their bias-infested rigid mind, the son of Joseph “should not” be a rabbi, who is qualified to teach the Word in the synagogue.  To this problem, Jesus alluded to the same kind of spiritual ignorance as that of their ancestors during the time of the Old Testament. Then, because of their hubris, the Nazarene congregation’s pride of vanity was hurt, and they reacted to Jesus with anger and hatred.

In fact, this psychospiritual problem – hubris due to the pride of vanity – later contributes to the conspiracy to have Jesus killed, as reflected during Lent.

What the Fourth Sunday Gospel narrative (Luke 4:21-30) can remind us, is how dangerous our ego can be – unless it is disciplined by the Holy Spirit and its fruits, especially self-control (Galatians 5:23). Otherwise, we tend to fall into the spiritual blindness and deafness – the spiritual ignorance, to become unable to recognize epiphany that Jesus brings.  Spiritually undisciplined ego tends to result in our confirmation bias and pride of vanity. The pride, then, makes us angry and spiteful toward those who confront our ego problems, such as our bias and the pride of vanity itself.

In order for us to appreciate epiphany, we need to remain humble – not hubristic, as hubris, which is a problem of our ego, keeps us blind  and deaf to divine manifestation.  Besides our pride of vanity, our ego makes our senses skewed to assumptions in favor of our narcissistic disposition.  By keeping our confirmation bias in check through the spiritual discipline, we can accept a messianic rabbi even he comes as the son of Joseph. 

The path of epiphanies that Jesus makes is also the glad tidings, prophesized in the Book (scroll) of Isaiah 61, and the light of salvation, as reflected in Psalm 27:1. Let us ensure that nothing obstructs this path of epiphanies, as we discipline our ego, keeping us from developing confirmation bias and hubris. 

Marching Forward Toward Sainthood with "Bahala na"!

The second reading for the 30^th Sunday Year C is taken from Paul’s second letter to his trusted and beloved disciple, Timothy.  And, this is one of my favorite scripture readings.

I am already being poured out like a libation, and the time of my departure is at hand.

I have competed well; I have finished the race;
I have kept the faith.
From now on the crown of righteousness awaits me,
which the Lord, the just judge,
will award to me on that day, and not only to me,
but to all who have longed for his appearance.

At my first defense no one appeared on my behalf,
but everyone deserted me.
May it not be held against them!
But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength,
so that through me the proclamation might be completed
and all the Gentiles might hear it.
And I was rescued from the lion's mouth.
The Lord will rescue me from every evil threat
and will bring me safe to his heavenly kingdom.
To him be glory forever and ever. Amen. (2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18)

Being a pastoral psychologist, I often meet people in their sufferings. Some of them apparently hoping that meeting with me would find a way to find ways to eliminate sufferings.  If this is in my clients’ or patients’ intent in meeting me, then, I tell straightforward that I have no power or capacity to eliminate suffering of another person and mine. 

Yes, this honest truth busts bubbles of hope of such people.  But, I cannot mislead them into false hope by further inflating their bubbles. Hope that is not realistic and reflecting truths cannot be sustained. Such hope can only hurt more down on the road. 

It sure would be nice if we could find ways to remove sufferings as we desire.  But, we know that not all sufferings can be avoided and eliminated as we wish. 

My professional interest as a pastoral psychologist, and personal interest, are always in dealing with sufferings meaningfully. In meeting with people in their sufferings as a pastoral psychologist, I tell them that I am their partner in struggle to discern ways  to embrace and endure sufferings meaningfully and constructively – in ways to grow further as persons and toward the fullness.

On this topic,  I wrote, “Pastoral Psychologist’s View on Life with Suffering and Enduring Resilience – Reflecting the Recent Earthquake in the Philippines and the 29th Sunday Year C Gospel Reading in Light of Morita Therapy, Paul Tillich’s “Courage”, Viktor Frankl’s “Tragic Optimism” and Sikolohiyang Pilipino” , on 10/16/13, in my last blog entry.  Now, in reading the above words of Paul, we can further deepen our understanding and appreciation of psychospiritual resilience as the bottom line of our coping with sufferings. 

Note that Paul was exhausted after more than 20 years (about 21 years – from c.a. 46 AD until c.a. 67 A.D.) of tirelessly devoted missionary service to the Lord.  It is believe that Paul wrote this pastoral letter to his trusted follower, Timothy, from his prison cell in Rome, as his execution drew near.  You also notice that Paul was keenly aware of his impending fate – martyrdom in Rome, besides his fatigue, from this sentence: I am already being poured out like a libation, and the time of my departure is at hand (2 Timothy 4:6). 

Feeling as if being poured out like a libation, there is Paul’s awareness that the death he was waiting for in the prison was a sacrificial offering of himself as a libation.  Paul was allegedly beheaded in the same year he wrote this letter from the prison. Yes, he certainly shed his own blood as a martyr for the Lord he served tirelessly for years.  Thus, by saying “being poured out like a libation” and “the time of my departure is at hand”, Paul was increasingly aware of his execution, being tired after years of selfless service to the Lord, feeling well-spent for this cause. 

Upon acknowledging his exhaustion and looming death, Paul reflects his life in these years of his service to the Lord with a metaphor of a competitive race. 

I have competed well; I have finished the race;
I have kept the faith.
From now on the crown of righteousness awaits me,
which the Lord, the just judge,
will award to me on that day, and not only to me,
but to all who have longed for his appearance. (vv. 7-8).

Though Paul ended up in a lonely cold prison cell in exhaustion as a result of his service to the Lord, he has no regret at all. In fact, he is very hopeful in anticipating his reward from the just judge, God.

Imagine if you would feel as Paul did – being imprisons to wait for your execution as a result of your faithful service to someone. You gave much of yourself and much of your life to the person you love and believe. But, persecution, imprisonment, and execution are all you get. 

Would feel as Paul did? 

Paul was not bitter toward God at all. In fact, his words indicate that he is much looking forward to seeing God, whom he has served with his steadfast faith and love and receiving the crown of righteousness, which is the mark of righteousness before God. This crown means that being worthy to have his name written in the Book of Life of the Lamb (Revelation 21:27) to enter into Heaven as a Saint. 

Today, November 1, celebrates Solemnity of All Saints. This is rather a jubilant feast to assure and reassure that we are in the Communion of Saints, though we are not yet in heaven by earning our own sainthood. 

The scripture readings for All Saints Day – Revelation 7:2-4, 9-14; 1 John 3:1-3, and Matthew 5:1-12A – all direct us to the sainthood. 

In the first reading (7:2-4, 9-14), an angel from the East was making sure that destruction of corrupted world would not take place until the seal is being put on the foreheads of the servants of God. This seal is like the mark of protection during the deconstructive process of the God’s renewal to bring the new Eden, replacing the old Eden, the paradise, that Adam and Eve lost. 

What Paul is looking forward to receiving – the crown of righteousness – is like the seal on the forehead, to be chosen for the heaven – new Eden, to be one of the one hundred and forty-four thousand people (saints), wearing  white robes and holding palm branches in their hands.

The protective nature of the seal on the forehead of the chosen for salvation – sainthood – is like such nature of the lamb’s blood marking the door posts of Jewish homes in Egypt on the night of Passover (Exodus 12:13). Otherwise, Jews in Egypt at that time would be destroyed in God’s salvific cleansing process, along with their enemies. The deconstruction of the world described in Revelation comes with a similar salvific tone of Passover.  But, of course, this one is with far greater power and is the last permanent process to complete God’s evolving salvation plan in response to the loss of Eden by Adam and Eve. 

So, Paul was not simply and passively waiting to die in execution. In fact, he was waiting for this great reward, the crown of righteousness – his “ticket” to heaven to finally meet God face to face (Revelation 22:4). Paul was really looking forward to seeing the face of the one he served.

This hopeful anticipation enabled him to remain so optimistic and forward-looking with a sense of content of what he has done – even though we might find ourselves in despair and irreversible resentment because we tend to envision materialistic rewards. And, we would certainly feel angry at God if our service to God would be rewarded with imprisonment and execution as we often become angry at those who did not return our favors as we want. 

Psychologically, Buddhist wisdom pinpoints the bottom line of this problem of ours, making it difficult to be like Paul. It is our ego and its tendency of ego-attachment. In Buddhism, we cannot attain buddhahood, which can be paralleled to sainthood in Christianity, unless we completely overcome our ego-driven attachment. In this regard, Paul makes a really good “Buddhist”, as well, for demonstrating his egoless state of mind.  In a way, we can apply Shakamuni Buddha’s teaching of overcoming attachment into our Christian spiritual discipline toward sainthood – salvation. 

Because of his non-attachment, Paul remains in egoless self even after his satisfactory accomplishment of his missionary work.  He is not asking God, “now, what’s for me?”.  He simply continues to trust Him and His care for him. And, this tremendous trust he has in God keeps Paul from any mental disturbances even in fatigue, loneliness in prison, and facing death. 

In my last blog entry,  “Pastoral Psychologist’s View on Life with Suffering and Enduring Resilience – Reflecting the Recent Earthquake in the Philippines and the 29th Sunday Year C Gospel Reading in Light of Morita Therapy, Paul Tillich’s “Courage”, Viktor Frankl’s “Tragic Optimism” and Sikolohiyang Pilipino”, I wrote on the Filipino value of “bahala na” , along with its Japanese equivalent, “shikataga nai”, defending its positive value, citing Alfred Lagmay and F.L. Jocano, disputing Tomas Andres’ negative interpretation of “bahala na”.  I argued that “bahala na” is indispensable to exert what Paul Tillich calls “courage of being” and what Viktor Frankl’s concept of “tragic optimism”, in a way like a process of Morita Therapy, a Japanese psychotherapy, to grow through suffering, because  “bahala na” is not a sign of fatalistic resignation but rather a valor not only to endure suffering but also to grow in resilience through suffering. 

Now, a sense of “bahala na” is found in the above words of Paul. And, I believe that it is Paul’s sense of “bahala na” (or “shikataga nai”) that kept him psychospiritually stable and calm amidst of his loneliness awaiting for his execution. 

As I mentioned in my last blog entry on “bahala na”, there is a sense of trust in greater being to be able to practice “bahala na”. This also means humility because ego makes it difficult to accept such a difficult situation as what Paul was in.  Ego would rather make Paul fight against his situation, while making him so angry at God and those who abandoned him in prison. 

But, was Paul angry at God? Angry at those who betrayed his trust and abandoned him when he was arrested? 

Rather than being angry and casting his anger, Paul’s response was:

At my first defense no one appeared on my behalf, but everyone deserted me.
May it not be held against them! (v.16)

Paul was compassionate to those who fled from him, understanding that they did not overcome their ego yet. He understood that it was rather their ego-driven attachment to their own lives rather than steadfast adherence to their mission for the Lord, which Paul shared with. Perhaps, in saying the above words, Paul must have been praying that they would once day overcome their ego and attain detachment, as taught in Buddhism. In the meantime, Paul asks God for His mercy on them in the hope that they will eventually overcome their ego and be able to engage in their mission with true courage and determination through “bahala na”. 

Holding no grudge against those who abandoned him was possible because Paul’s focus remains on God. And, it is his firm trust in Him, as “bahala na” is an expression of ultimate trust.  The following words of Paul reflect a trust aspect of his “bahala na”.

At my first defense no one appeared on my behalf,
but everyone deserted me.
May it not be held against them!
But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength,
so that through me the proclamation might be completed
and all the Gentiles might hear it.
And I was rescued from the lion's mouth.
The Lord will rescue me from every evil threat
and will bring me safe to his heavenly kingdom.
To him be glory forever and ever. Amen.(vv. 16-18)

No matter how difficult his situation may be, Paul never loses his trust. Rather than finding the source of his psychospiritual strengths in his ego, as secular psychology in the Western cultural tradition tend to teach, Paul detaches himself from ego and continues to find the resilient strengths in God, whom he trust with increasing intimacy. Again, this is how “bahala na” works on us, too. 

Being able to practice “bahala na” as Paul did is also a sign of mature faith.  

To further assure Paul’s sense of “bahala na”, these words of him are also helpful:

And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast  about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).

In the above words of Paul from his second letter to the Corinthians, what says about “weakness” is “weakness of his ego”, consequently, “weakness in his ego-driven attachment”.  So, these words indicate that the weaker his ego’s grasp becomes through spiritual maturity, then, the stronger God’s power in Christ will manifest in and through us.  Thus, these words indicate that humility makes it easier for the divine strengths to be manifested in us. 

Place the word, “suffering”, instead of “weakness” in the above words of Paul. Then, you can better appreciate Paul’s sense of “bahala na” in the second reading of the 30^th Sunday - 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18. 

Now, let’s turn to the Gospel reading for All Saints Day -  Matthew 5:1-12A.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the land.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the clean of heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you
and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me.
Rejoice and be glad,
for your reward will be great in heaven.”

To be put for the Gospel reading for All Saints Day, these constitute a list of conditions to be on our way to sainthood. These are the beatitudes – blessedness, which is also translated as “happiness”. But, our ego-driven common sense sure finds it ridiculous to consider grief, meekness, hunger and so forth to characterize happiness. These words of Jesus really challenge us on our ego-driven understanding of “happiness”. 

“Poor in spirit”, as St. Chrysostom and St. Leo the Great have explained, means humility. Poverty makes us rich in God’s blessings – beatitude, because being poor symbolically means being having “poor” ego. 

If we are humble, as “poor in spirit”, we can accept and endure hardships meaningfully with “bahala na”, because of our strong faith in God – ultimate trust in Him.

According to Jesus, practicing the beatitudes with “bahala na” to God helps us be and stay on our path toward sainthood, salvation. And, our strong and mature faith with “bahala na” can help us fight all forces from ego to see the above-conditions are misery and to see “bahala na” is a passive fatalism or sign of shameful weakness. 

Now we know that “bahala na”, as a sign of humility, courage, and the divine strengths manifested in our weakness, is indispensable on our journey into sainthood and salvation, well exemplified by Paul.

If we let our ego go unchecked, we may begin to think that Paul became a miserable loser as a result of serving God. Then, we would not be able to appreciate the above words of Jesus on beatitudes, either. When we have gotten into such a psychospiritual state, we are more attached to whatever ego drives us, while detaching ourselves from God. 

A good example of such a psychospiritual state is found in the Pharisee’s prayer in the 30^th Sunday Gospel – Luke 18: 9-14.

'O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity --
greedy, dishonest, adulterous -- or even like this tax collector.
I fast twice a week, and I pay tithes on my whole income.’ (Luke 18:11)

This prayer is all about praising himself. It is a textbook example of ego-driven prayer, using God’s name. And, this is hypocrisy per excellence. 

Imagine, if this Pharisee had to go through the hardships as Paul did…. Imagine how his prayer would be…

It is obvious that the Pharisee’s prayer would be filled with resentment and despair because his superficial piety is ego-driven.  

Unfortunately, religions, including Christianity, tend to attract narcissists like this Pharisee, especially in clerical positions. We must be careful and keep our vigilant eyes so that the Church will not sink with ego-driven narcissism of its hypocrite leaders and members. 

These hypocrites love to preach the Gospel – on humility, chastity, piety, and so forth. But, what they don’t know is that they are living in a bubble of ego-driven illusion. For these hypocrites, sainthood is farther than repenting sinners, like tax collectors. That is why the Pharisee was not justified, while the tax collector was. In this context, justification suggests salvation. Thus, it is related to attaining sainthood. 

For those who are like this “pious” Pharisee, “bahala na” is something extremely difficult to embrace and practice. 

But, for us, let us march forward toward sainthood, inspired by All Saints and their trust in God, humility courage, and resilient strengths, characterized with “bahala na”!

Increased Faith, Self-Esteem, Psychospiritual Resilience, and Humility - A Lesson from the 27th Sunday Year C Gospel Reading

We all have a tendency to get upset when our hard work is not recognized. When nobody praises and thank our services, don’t we feel resentful? 

This is also what a behaviorism school of modern psychology teaches, as behaviors need reinforcement to continue. And, acknowledgement and praises are very powerful reinforcement factors. 

This paradigm is also somewhat reflected in Adlerian school of psychology, which emphasizes on encouragement for positive behaviors to override or compensate negative behaviors in its therapeutic form. 

Yes, it is important that we acknowledge good behaviors – good works and good services. It is important to encourage people to keep up with the good work to reinforce their good behaviors, good works, and good services. 

But, the question is – can we still keep up with our good behaviors, good works, and good services – even though nobody gives us special recognition, nobody thanks us for all we do? 

The Gospel reading for the 27^th Sunday Year C, Luke 17:5-10, addresses this issue.

In this Gospel narrative, Jesus basically tells us that we are to do our best work and services, even though our good works and services are not recognized and praised in a way to reinforce these good behaviors as a modern psychology tells.  And, this is his answer to the apostle’s expressed desire to increase their faith. 

In other words, Jesus tells that whether we receive acknowledgement and praises for our good works and services should not influence whether we will continue our good works and services – if we have increased faith like a growing mustard seed. 

To appreciate this Jesus’ teaching from a psychological perspective as a pastoral psychologist, my view is that  our increased faith enables us to find internal motivator and reinforce for our good works and services, independent of external reinforcers.  And this internal reinforcer is associated with self-esteem and psychospiritual resilience, both of which are manifestation of increased faith. 

As our faith increases, so do our self-esteem and psychospiritual resilience, as well as our humility, because our ego decreases with our increasing faith.  This way, we can provide our best works and services to others, not because we want to be acknowledged and praised for these but simply because we like doing our best works and services to others, believing that it is our way of serving the Lord.  

To be the kind of humble servants, who say, “We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do”, when we have done all we have been commanded, rather than hoping to be praised by the master, we must have the aforementioned manifestations of increased faith – self-esteem and psychospiritual resilience. 

When someone thanks you for your good work or service, you probably respond saying, “You are welcome.”  This is a typical response in American English. But, in British English, “Not at all”, or “Don’t mention it”, are more common responses. In Spanish, it is “De nada”, which is rather closer to British English response, “Not at all”. 

It seems that Spanish-speaking mentality for “De nada” and British-English-speaking mentality for “Not at all” better reflect what it means to be the kind of humble servants that Jesus is talking about in the Gospel narrative, as such mentalities indicate that what we do is not worth special recognition and praises. 

 

If you really think that all the good works and services you do are not worth recognition and praises but continue to do such works and services without feeling resentful, then, your faith is growing and maturing, resulting in self-esteem and psychospiritual resilience, making you humble. 

And, a good example of a person who practiced this teaching is St. Francis of Assisi, as he continued to serve the poor with joy, whether his service to the poor received special recognition or not, even he had to endure series of humiliation and insults. It is because his motive to serve the poor was not to become a center of attention but simply to be more intimate with the suffering Christ. 

St. Francis’ feast was October 4.  So, on the heel of his feast, we can have St. Francis of Assisi as our role model in our efforts of increasing our faith – in our growth in faith to increase our self-esteem, psychospiritual  resilience, and humility, while decreasing our ego, the root of our narcissistic disposition.

The below prayer of St. Francis captures the spirit of Jesus' teaching in Luke 17:5-10.

O Divine Master, Grant that I may not so much seek

To be consoled, as to console;

To be understood, as to understand;

To be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive;

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;

And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

We may not seek much as our increased faith makes us humble. It means that we serve - not to be praised but to please, because it is joy.  And, our increased faith makes enables us to practice all said in this prayer, even nobody recognize and appreciate our services, even we are insulted and ridiculed -  because our increased faith manifests in our self-esteem, psychospiritual resilience, and humility.
May our increasing faith makes us humble servants of the Lord like St. Francis of Assisi.

On Humility - Wedding Banquet, Japanese Tea Ceremony, the Kingdom of God, reflection of the 22nd Sunday Gospel Reading Year C

In the Gospel reading for the 22^nd Sunday of Year C (Luke 14:1, 7-14), Jesus offers a caveat on how we are to be at a banquet as a guest. 

“When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet,
do not recline at table in the place of honor.
A more distinguished guest than you may have been invited by him,
and the host who invited both of you may approach you and say,
‘Give your place to this man,’
and then you would proceed with embarrassment
to take the lowest place.
Rather, when you are invited,
go and take the lowest place
so that when the host comes to you he may say,
‘My friend, move up to a higher position.’
Then you will enjoy the esteem of your companions at the table.
For every one who exalts himself will be humbled,
but the one who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 14:8-11).

It is obvious that Jesus wants to tell us the importance of humility – the spirit of yielding for another person. 

What comes to my mind in response to these words of Jesus on humility is Fr. Pedro Arrupe S.J.’s “Men for Others” speech, delivered on the solemn feast day of St. Ignatius of Loyola, 1973 in Valencia, Spain. The speech was on Jesuit education, addressed to the 10^th International Congress of Jesuit Alumni of Europe.

In this speech, then-superior-general of the Society of Jesus, Fr. Arrupe, said:

Men-and-women-for-others:  the paramount objective of Jesuit education – basic, advance, and continuing – must now be to form such men and women.  ………  Only by being a man-or-woman-for-others does one become fully human, not only in the merely natural sense, but in the sense of being the “spiritual” person of Saint Paul.  The person filled with the Spirit; and we know whose Spirit that is:  the Spirit of Christ, who gave his life for the salvation of the world; the God who, by becoming a human person, became, beyond all others, a Man-for-others, a Woman-for-others.

So, if you consider yourself as a person for others, as what the Jesuit education strives for, then, the above words of Jesus on humility are rather natural to you.  But, if your ego is out-of-proportion, if your pride is too strong and rather self-centered, if you have too much attachment to yourself and your own possessions, you may find it uneasy to embody these words of Jesus on humility, because such a fat ego often prompts you to seek things to please yourself first and above all. If this is the case to you, then, you are likely to find the best seat for yourself. 

Another image invoked with the above words of Jesus is a Japanese tea ceremony. This is particularly so, in conjunction with these words of Jesus from the 21^st Sunday Gospel reading:

Strive to enter through the narrow door, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough (Luke 13:24). 

Through these words in Luke 13:24, Jesus tells us that we must enter into the Kingdom of God through the narrow gate of heaven, upon our hard work of faith, making turning grace of God we receive into “constructed grace” offered up to God.  And, through his words in Luke 14:8-11, Jesus speaks of a wedding banquet and how we are to behave. 

It is not just a banquet but a wedding banquet that Jesus is speaking of.  Now it is important that a wedding banquet in the Bible is not just a wedding banquet but can be a metaphor for heaven, the Kingdom of God, as Matthew 22:1-14 illustrates.  Furthermore, Revelation 19:5-10 describes the heavenly wedding banquet, upon the judgement.  Only those who have been faithful and made it through the narrow gate of heaven are present at this truly joyful wedding. 

So, why a Japanese tea ceremony has something to do with humility required for the wedding banquet in Luke 14:8-11?

Judging from the significance of a wedding banquet  in the Bible – significant enough for Jesus to use for his parable (Matthew 22:1-14) on the Kingdom and to make an eschatological prophecy (Revelation 19:5-10), it is to give us a foretaste of heaven. 

A Japanese tea ceremony, on the other hand, is to experience what it is like to enter into the state of satori, according to the Japanese Zen Buddhism tradition. Satori is the state of the kind of awakening, though it is not sufficient to reach the Buddhahood.  As satori is synonym to kensho, which literally means being able to see (comprehend) what is true and essential, it is the state preceding to the Buddhahood, beginning to see Dharma.   

One understanding in satori is realization that everything is impermanent. And, this realization is not just intellectual kind but rather holistic, including somatic awareness.  

In satori, we come to understand that our true self, atman, is ego-less being, anatta, or muga, as called in the Japanese Buddhism. It means that satori cannot be attained unless you humble yourself. 

The importance of humility is not just found in the Zen spirituality of Japanese tea ceremony but the forms and physicality in team ceremony, as well. 

For example, just as we can enter into the Kingdom only through the narrow gate, you can make your into a tea house only through a narrow entrance, called nijiriguchi or nijiri. The word nijiri means sitting down and moving with your legs folded, while guchi indicates an entrance. So, nijiriguchi, the only entrance into a Japanese tea house, means the entrance that demands you to sit on your folded legs and move yourself to enter. Symbolically, it is about making yourself low, humble, regardless what your social status is, to enter into a Japanese tea house. In other words, nijiriguchi signifies humility. 

There, the virtue of humility is required from the very beginning of a Japanese ceremony. And, an image of nijiriguchi parallels the narrow gate of heaven in Luke 13:24, if the Kingdom of God  can be addressed with a metaphor of a Japanese tea house. Just imagine if Jesus happened to be preaching the Gospel in Japan, instead of Galilee…..if Jesus were well-versed with Buddhism, Zen Buddhism, in particular, like Fr. William Johnston SJ of Sophia University, and practicing tea ceremony, like a Catholic samurai lord, Ukon Justo Takayama, who were expelled to the Philippines…I can imagine Jesus could have preached like this:

Strive to enter through the nijiriguchi, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough to bend their knees and move forward with their legs folded….  

I compare the wedding banquet that Jesus talks about in Luke 14:8-11 to a Japanese tea ceremony, what only those who have made it through a small nijiriguchi can experience.   It is because a wedding banquet can be a foretaste for the heavenly banquet in a biblical sense, while a Japanese tea ceremony can be a simulating experience of satori, an absolutely necessary condition for Buddhahood in Zen Buddhism.  And, what is common to these is humility, which Jesus emphasizes in the 22^nd Sunday Gospel narrative. 

In the Gospel story, in particular, Luke 14:8-11, Jesus advises how we should find our seats at a wedding banquet.  He is telling us not to be like those people who rush to grab bargain items on Black Friday morning, trying to find the best seats for ourselves.  Such behaviors are nothing but manifestation of selfishness. Rather, Jesus reminds us that we should always mind for others and let others find better seats for themselves.  Jesus prefers us to be like a person, who let others stand in line for buffet dinner, yielding for others, not minding being the last person. 

This teaching of Jesus does not seem to bode well with our instinct. But, our faith teaches that we cannot attain salvation if we live only with instinct, as we cannot attain salvation if we keep our undisciplined ego.  That is why our faith enables us to appreciate these words of Jesus: 

"And behold, some are last who will be first and some are first who will be last” (Luke 13:30).

Also at a Japanese tea ceremony, it is considered to be a desired virtue not to take up the place of the guest of honor, even though you are actually so.  It is rather better not to sit in the position of the guest of honor by yourself to demonstrate the humility and politeness, which are highly valued in Japanese culture. In fact, this aspect of Japanese culture must be influenced by Mencius’ teaching on the virtue of modesty, which corresponds to the virtue of temperance, one of the Cardinal Virtues in Catholicism. In his dialogue with Gongsun Chou, Mencius teaches the importance for a monarch to practice the virtue of modesty and humility, not to seek honor for himself but to truly care for the people in his kingdom (Gongsun Chou/公孫丑章句,I-3).  This teaching of Mencius on modesty and humility really goes along with the Japanese tea ceremony’s tradition for the guest of honor not to grab his or her place for the guest of honor by himself or herself.  Needless to say, in essence, this is the kind of virtue Jesus wants us to practice, as discerned through his words in Luke 14:8-11. 

Psychologically, if your ego is well-disciplined to a point of muga or anatta,  the virtue of humility and the virtue of modesty, as well as the virtue of temperance,  go hand-in-hand.  

With such a humble self, then, we are not worried if the seats we want will be taken by others or not. We  won’t even be concerned if someone else would sit in the seats we are invited to sit – even we happened to be guests of honor at wedding banquets.  We know it is not our own minds to decide where to sit but it is either the host or others, telling us where to sit at banquets – just as God decide what is best for us. 

That is why those who are humble will be rewarded by God first at the end, at the heavenly wedding banquet (Revelation 19: 5-10), for sure. That is why it is totally fine to be the last person to receive something because we know we will be first to receive something much greater in heaven. 

Though it may seem like a bit of far-stretch application of the Gospel narrative, but the 22^nd Sunday Gospel story on humility really goes along with the very first teaching on beatitude: 

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3).

“Poor in spirit” can mean being humble, as St. John Chrysostom preached in his homily (15) and St. Leo the Great preached in his sermon (95) on beatitude.

St. Chrysostom explained a connection between “poor-in-spirit” and humility in detail in a way to better appreciate Jesus’ teaching on humility in Luke 14:7-14:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.”

What is meant by “the poor in spirit?” The humble and contrite in mind. For by “spirit” He hath here designated the soul, and the faculty of choice. That is, since many are humble not willingly, but compelled by stress of circumstances; letting these pass (for this were no matter of praise), He blesses them first, who by choice humble and contract themselves. 

But why said he not, “the humble,” but rather “the poor?” Because this is more than that. For He means here them who are awestruck, and tremble at the commandments of God. Whom also by His prophet Isaiah God earnestly accepting said, “To whom will I look, but to him who is meek and quiet, and trembleth at My words?” For indeed there are many kinds of humility: one is humble in his own measure, another with all excess of lowliness. It is this last lowliness of mind which that blessed prophet commends, picturing to us the temper that is not merely subdued, but utterly broken, when he saith, “The sacrifice for God is a contrite spirit, a contrite and a humble heart God will not despise.” And the Three Children also offer this unto God as a great sacrifice, saying, “Nevertheless, in a contrite soul, and in a spirit of lowliness, may we be accepted.” This Christ also now blesses.  (Homily 15) 

St. Chrysostom tells that the kind of humility we need for our salvation is the kind of humility with lowliness, not to make us feel good about ourselves. That’s what the “poor in spirit” is about.  And, that is what we need as we continue to strive to enter into the Kingdom of God, which can be like what is transcended from the state of satori simulated in a Japanese tea ceremony. And, the only way into this is the narrow gate, as tiny as the nijiriguchi of a Japanese tea house, symbolizing humility of lowliness. It also means to our continuing efforts toward muga or anatta, as big ego, pride, attachment and so forth, make us "too fat" to enter through the nijiriguchi of heaven, as we are truly for each other in the Kingdom of God, as illustrated in the aforementioned  Fr. Arrupe's speech.