Humility

If any of you have ever prayed the Litany of Humility, you'll know what I mean when I say that praying for humility can be dangerous.

Last week was the feast of St. Joseph, husband of Mary. I was meditating on the humility it would take to be the head of the Holy Family... The imperfect father and imperfect husband to a sinless wife and a son who is God.

In his homily Pope Francis said,

"How does Joseph exercise his role as protector? Discreetly, humbly and silently, but with an unfailing presence and utter fidelity, even when he finds it hard to understand. ... In the Gospels, Saint Joseph appears as a strong and courageous man, a working man, yet in his heart we see great tenderness, which is not the virtue of the weak but rather a sign of strength of spirit and a capacity for concern, for compassion, for genuine openness to others, for love. We must not be afraid of goodness, of tenderness!"

So, guess who made the "mistake" of asking for St. Joseph's intercession while praying for humility?

This girl.

Guess who went skiing the next day and got an avulsion fracture in her right knee?

This girl.

ie I'm in a full leg brace/immobilizer and on crutches :)

ie I can't kneel. I can't do zumba or kickboxing or run. I can't do laundry on my own. I can't swing dance. I can't do my rugged maniac 5k. I can't carry anything that doesn't fit in my little backpack. I have trouble doing normal things like showering or getting into bed. I can't put my right shoe on by myself. etc...

I've already learned a lot, though. I've learned how to go up and down stairs on crutches. I've learned that laminate flooring gets slippery for crutches when it's wet. I've learned that I don't mind not doing any of those things previously mentioned as long as I have Jesus. I've learned that this is a good opportunity to suffer joyfully and be a witness to the joy that comes from Christ. I've learned that sometimes we don't get to choose when we will be weak and when we won't... and that we need to accept the generosity of others as much as we need to be generous. I've learned the true meaning of surrendering my will to that of the Father. I've learned that we don't always get to pick our way of holiness... God will decide what it will take to make us a saint. I've learned that I have some great friends and family who are much more selfless than I am and that Jesus will be enough for me if I let Him.