It is all about me……………… That is my saying. People tell me that all the time (most of them are teasing, some are not). But is it true, is it all about me?No, not really. Sure i like to be told good job when I do something good, but that don’t make it all about me. Sure I like to stand in-front of people and talk (It’s what I do for a living), but that don’t make it all about me.When giving lessons to youth or adults, I have to have a certain level of it’s all about me, I need to show whom ever I am teaching that I have this under control, that is all good, and it’s all because I am here. I need to establish that I have it all figured out, so don’t be worried. But that don’t make it all about me.And I do love being up front and center, when its all about God. When I am working with the youth, nothing is ever going to stop me from placing myself up front, and making all it about me, so I can make it all about God.There is something to be said about all this, Jesus said it in a parable:
Lk 18:9-14Jesus addressed this parableto those who were convinced of their own righteousnessand despised everyone else.“Two people went up to the temple area to pray;one was a Pharisee and the other was a tax collector.The Pharisee took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself,‘O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanitygreedy, dishonest, adulterous or even like this tax collector.I fast twice a week,and I pay tithes on my whole income.’But the tax collector stood off at a distanceand would not even raise his eyes to heavenbut beat his breast and prayed,‘O God, be merciful to me a sinner.’I tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former;for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled,and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
This is a great reading for not only for Lent, but really for all the time. It is one that should be copied and placed on your bedroom door, so every morning before you leave the house you are reminded to be humble.Being humble is not easy, we like to get the gold stars for things we have done, we like to hear people praise us. But we must always remember that we are like the tax collector, we are sinners, and not worthy of Gods praise. We should always remember that we do nothing great with out God.All to often we work for the praise of others, when really we should be working to praise God. Many saints have stated this, St. Therese of the little flower use to say that she did everything for the glory of God, even washing dishes. Fr. Solanus Casey considered himself a humble door man. It is in our humility that we will find our greatness, and in our greatness we will be humbled.In a world where we are encouraged to praise ourselves, it is counter to our culture to want to humble ourselves, but in doing so we will gather the graces of God, and fulfil Gods wishes for us.So is it all about me? Well no, not really, I am but a humble instrument got God to use…Paul
An American Point of View 