[Pope##s Article of 21 June, 2009] (459) by Dr. Wedad Abbas
Love does not show off or boast before the others, but deal with them in love, as said about the Lord Christ in His love for us:
“The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” (Mt 20: 28)
In His love for His disciples He bent down and washed their feet, which also was a lesson to them, for He afterwards said to them: “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another##s feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.” (Jn 13: 14, 15)
And about the love of the Father, we say in the Divine Mass: “You who dwells on the highest and looks to the humble.”
He dwells on the highest although “heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain Him” (1 Kgs 8: 27), but this does not prevent Him from taking care of mankind who are “dust and ashes” (Gen 18: 27), “He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust” (Ps 103: 14) This is the type of love that does not parade itself.
God in His love does not talk with His children from above.
See how God asked Abraham his opinion on the issue of Sodom, saying, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing?” (Gen 18: 17) And God entered into a discussion with Abraham allowing Abraham to say to Him, “Far be it from You to do such a thing as this, to slay the righteous with the wicked … far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” (Gen 18: 25) God did not get angry from Abraham for these words, but continued the talk!
It is God##s love that made Him discuss with Moses the case of the people who worshipped the golden calf, and say to him, “Let Me alone, that My wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them.” But Moses did not let Him alone, but said, “Turn from Your fierce wrath, and relent from this harm to Your people. Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Your servants.” (Ex 32- 10- 13) And God responded to Moses## request!
God in His love condescends to appear to His servants and talk to them.
He appeared to Solomon twice: once in Gibeon, and another in Jerusalem (1 Kgs 3, 9), although in His foreknowledge God knew that Solomon##s wives would turn his heart after other gods (1 Kgs 11: 4)
A prominent example of not looking down upon the others is the Lord Himself who in His incarnation called the disciples His brethren!
As St. Paul the Apostle says, “He is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying: I will declare Your name to My brethren.” “In all things He had to be made like His brethren.” (Heb 2: 11, 12, 17) And to Mary Magdalene and the other Mary the Lord said, “Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me.” (Mt 28: 10) Having loved His disciples to the end (Jn 13: 1), He said to them, “No longer do I call you servants … but I have called you friends.” And He gave them the promise, “Where I am, there you will be also” (Jn 15: 15; 14: 3), a promise which will continue unto eternity, in the heavenly Jerusalem, the tabernacle of God with men, where He will dwell with them (Rev 21: 3)
The greatest example of love that does not parade itself or is puffed up may be found in the words of the Lord to His disciples:
“He who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do.” (Jn 14: 12) How wonderful is such humbleness! The mind marvels at such love of God for mankind, such love that made the Lord Christ get baptized by John the Baptist, a baptism of repentance, on our behalf!! It is the same love that made Him ascend on the cross bearing the sins of the whole world and be numbered with the transgressors (Isa 53: 6, 12).
It is love which not only is free from boasting, but also involves contrition.
In the same way the disciples walked, in love without showing off or boasting, in spite of their high ranks as apostles! St. Paul, rebuking his children in Corinth, said, “I, Paul, myself am pleading with you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ – who in presence am lowly among you, but being absent am bold toward you. But I beg you that when I am present I may not be bold …” (2 Cor 10: 1, 2) And speaking to the elders of the church in Ephesus, said, “Watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears.” (Acts 20: 31) How amazing are these words from a great apostle who was caught up to the third heaven and heard inexpressible words (2 Cor 12: 2- 4)!!
He did not boast except of his weaknesses, or in other words, he only remembered his weaknesses.
He explained how he was given a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet him, and concerning it he pleaded with the Lord three times, but the Lord did not respond and said to him, “My grace is sufficient for you.” (2 Cor 12: 5- 9)
Actually none of the apostles boasted of his great rank.
St. Peter the Apostle wrote to the elders saying, “The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ.” (1 Pet 5: 1) John the Apostle likewise wrote at the beginning of the Revelation, “I, John, both our brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ …” (Rev 1: 9) Strange words indeed from the only apostle who saw the Lord, a door open in heaven, God##s throne, and many of the heavenly host!
The ministry of the apostles was that of a servant, so they called themselves servants.
As St. Paul the Apostle began many of his Epistles with the words, “Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ” (Rom 1: 1; Phil 1: 1)! He again said, “Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ” (1 Cor 4: 1), and said that God has given them the ministry of reconciliation (2 Cor 5: 18) “In all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God: in patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses” (2 Cor 6: 4) Their ministry was “the ministry of the word” (Acts 6:4), so he said to his disciple Timothy, “Do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.” (2 Tim 4: 5) And about his own and his companion##s ministry he said, “Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed” (1 Cor 3: 5)
This spirit of the apostles was probably in compliance with the Lord##s commandment to them.
He commanded them, saying, “Whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave.” (Mt 20: 26, 27) “If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.” (Mk 9: 35) It was the duty of the apostles to refrain from parading or boasting, and for the sake of love for God and His kingdom, and for their children in the ministry, they became last of all and the servants of all. This reminds us of the prayer of St. Augustine for his flock, in which he said, ##I beseech You, O Lord, for my lords, Your servants …##
The holy fathers in their love not only did not boast of their ranks, but they also did not boast of the holy life they lead or got puffed up with the divine gifts they obtained. They did not show off as endowed with gifts not given to the others. For besides pride such boasting or showing off may lead the others to mean-spiritedness and bitter jealousy, matters which contradict true love that cares for the others than for oneself.
That is why the apostles, in spite of their high spirituality, considered themselves sinners. St. Paul, for instance, said, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.” “… although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and in insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.” (1 Tim 1: 13, 15) And St. John the Beloved likewise said, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” (1 Jn 1: 8) St. James the Apostle also said, “My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment. For we all stumble in many things.” (Jas 3: 1)
Love does not boast of the talents and gifts, but uses them in humbleness for the benefit of the others.
When people marveled at the miracle of healing the man who had been lame from his mother##s womb who was laid at the gate of the temple, St. Peter said to them, “Why do marvel at this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?” (Acts 3: 12) He turned their sight to the Lord Christ whom they denied in whose name that man rose up and walked.
Those who boast and are puffed up with their gifts and talents actually do not love the others, and not even themselves!
Boasting may remove away the gift in case it was truly from God, because such a person could not bear it and his heart became puffed up, a matter which is against love, humbleness, and understanding of the purpose of the gift.
God endows people with gifts for the benefit of the others, not for pride.
God gives the gift so that one may use it in love for the welfare of the others, like the gift of healing or casting out demons, or intelligence and knowledge. These may be used for teaching and guiding the others, not for boasting. Otherwise one would have deviated from the purpose of the gift and turned into self conceit, which is against spirituality.
Love also does not boast of wealth or financial distinction.
The rich should use his wealth for the benefit of the needy. In such a way a person will show love to them and win their love. One should not look down on them making them feel weak and humiliated. And when one gives this should not be with a lifted heart with a feeling that one is the giver and they the receiver! For when one gives, one actually shares with the needy what one has received from to be divided among all in love.
If boasting is against love, how much rather behaving rudely or holding a comparison between oneself and the others to show that one is better, and perhaps counts the bad points in the others! Despising the others contradicts love which is supposed to cover the defects of the others instead of defaming and exposing them.
Love should rather defend the others, not criticize them or find fault with them.
When Moses married the Ethiopian woman, Aaron and Miriam spoke against him, but God who loves Moses defended him and rebuked them, and punished Miriam for that. Also from the biographies of the saints we have many examples for saints who covered the sins of others, like St. Makarius the Great, St. Moses the Black and St. Bisarion. This subject however needs much explanation, which we shall do in another article, God willing.