Hubris and Humility
Hubris that is the human condition of original sin whereby at some point every human will inevitably begin thinking we know better than God. Where we will insist on being gods of our own domain thinking we have a better design, idea, or plan for the world than God. While hubris is more often discussed in a literary sense I think it aptly applies to illustrate the human condition of Original Sin that leads to doubting the Truth and, as today’s first reading shows, even to the point mocking the Truth.
Contrasted against the backdrop of humanity’s hubris is the holy humility demonstrated by Jesus’ authentic vulnerability of returning to Jerusalem knowing that they were looking to kill him. Jesus humbly models what it is to submit to God’s will trusting in God rather than succumbing to the hubris of thinking that we have a better idea than God.
Through reflecting on this holy humility as demonstrated in today’s readings I am further struck by how it seems that the truly holy people never seem to consider themselves as all that holy or humble. Just as Jesus did not claim to be the source of his transcendent holiness most authentically humble people are called humble and holy by those around them rather than self-professing their humility. In fact it strikes me that professing one’s own humility could be considered a decidedly un-humble and disqualifying action born out of hubris.
Lastly, I’m struck by the many different religious traditions with founding or spiritual leaders that exhibit a similarly genuine transcendent or “holy” humility. From Jesus demurring when people asked if he was God instead saying that his father God sent him to Mohamed pointing all attention and gory to Allah to such an extent that Mohamed forbade his image be made to the historical Buddha asserting that he cannot teach or provide enlightenment but rather can only point towards the transcendent Truth. One common thread in all these seems to be authentic humility and awareness of something greater and more transcendent than the self. From our Christian perspective this transcendent truth is God and God’s design for creation.
The universal truth in all this seems to be a call to reduce our human hubris and grow in holy humility.
Author: Andrew Armstrong, Theology Department
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