Learning lessons in humility from Jesus

For our reflections on this Holy Thursday, we hope and pray that our politicians seeking to be re-elected into another term or their challengers who want to get hold of political power can pause for a moment and reflect on today's Bible reading, which you can read in John 13:1-15.

"1 Before the feast of Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to pass from this world to the Father. He loved his own in the world and he loved them to the end. 2 The devil had already seduced Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot, to hand him over. So, during supper, 3 fully aware that the Father had put everything into his power and that he had come from God and was returning to God, 4 he rose from supper and took off his outer garments. He took a towel and tied it around his waist. 5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and dry them with the towel around his waist.

6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Master, are you going to wash my feet?" 7 Jesus answered and said to him, "What I am doing, you do not understand now, but you will understand later." Peter said to him, "You will never wash my feet." Jesus answered him, "Unless I wash you, you will have no inheritance with me." 9 Simon Peter said to him, "Master, then not only my feet, but my hands and head as well." 10 Jesus said to him, "Whoever has bathed has no need except to have his feet washed, for he is clean all over; so you are clean, but not all." 11 For he knew who would betray him, for this reason, he said, "Not all of you are clean."

12 So when he washed their feet [and] put his garments back on and reclined at table again, he said to them, "Do you realize what I have done for you? 13 You call me 'teacher' and 'master', and rightly so, for indeed I am. 14 If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another's feet. 15 I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do."

This is without a doubt a lesson in humility, something gravely lacking with our political leaders today. If I were to change the Constitution of this country, before anyone takes his oath of office, the elected official would have to read this passage as part of the oath-taking program and perform the ritual of washing of the feet of the poorest among the poor of his or her constituents. Call it a dramatic way of telling those who asked for our votes and won their public office that they are first and foremost public servants, not masters, princes or kings! Alas, I cannot hope to change our constitution by myself, so I can only give you my wishful thoughts.

Mind you, this is happening not just with our elected political leaders but also in the lowly barangay chapel organizations where too often, the leaders act as if they were masters. This is so true even with many charismatic organizations that are even called Servant Leaders. Too often when we meet them and make suggestions, they shrug their shoulders politely refusing to listen to what people have to say because they already made up their own minds on where to bring their flock in their lay organizations. Their behavior is only understandable; after all, we are only human.

We must reflect on what our Lord Jesus Christ has taught his disciples and from his disciples, they were handed down in Scripture to teach us these lessons for today. Let me reprint what our Lord said to emphasize it to our readers: "Do you realize what I have done for you? You call me 'teacher' and 'master', and rightly so, for indeed I am. If I, therefore, the master and teacher have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another's feet. I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do."

Greatness often comes from humility! Too often, a meek and humble person is misunderstood as weak and frail. On the contrary, it takes a lot more courage to be a humble person. During the 12th and final Don Sergio Osmeña Memorial Lecture sponsored by the Cebu Newspaper Workers Foundation, Inc. (Cenewof) our lecturer was no other than our beloved eminence, Ricardo Cardinal Vidal who praised Don Sergio Osmeña Sr. for having "Humility, while in power" a trait that none of the present crop of Osmeñas openly admit that they do not possess.

If Don Sergio Osmeña Sr. lost the first elections after the end of World War II, it is only because he never used the vast resources of the Philippine government within his grasp to help in his Presidential campaign. He knew that the Filipino people would vote for him if they truly wanted him in the Office of the President. This act of humility made him lose his Presidential bid against Pres. Manuel Roxas who unfortunately didn't last long in power as he died while in office. We hope and pray that this Holy Week would bring humility to those seeking political power.