The Apostles are often, embarrassingly, all too human. I remember attending a retreat for high school seniors several years ago. The retreat was meant to be a time for spiritual growth—a chance for students to grow closer to Christ and form stronger bonds with one another. There were spiritual talks, time for prayer, and moments of quiet reflection. But there was also paintball. And to no one’s surprise, that was the most exciting part for the students. Before the game, all they could talk about was how great they would be and how their strategies were unbeatable. Afterward, they spent hours boasting about their victories. The boys in my cabin stayed up until 3:00 a.m. arguing over who shot whom and, naturally, who was the greatest.
It reminds me of today’s Gospel. The Apostles were with Jesus—God himself—and yet, they missed the point. They could have asked him any question, solved any mystery, or simply sat in awe of their privilege to be in his presence. But instead, they argued about which one of them was the greatest, who would have the most important title, or the highest position in the Kingdom of God.
And yet, if we are honest, many of us would have done the same. Humility is one of the hardest virtues to cultivate, but it is also one of the most essential. No one enters heaven without humility, because humility enables us to see the truth about ourselves, others, and God. It allows us to live in reality, with a right understanding of our place in the world. To grow in humility requires God’s grace and a lifelong commitment. That journey must begin now.
A practical way to grow in humility is through a simple exercise: always assume the best of others and the worst of ourselves. This does not mean justifying someone’s sins or poor choices, but rather, it means trying to understand them. It means recognizing the complexities of human existence and the struggles that lead people to act the way they do. When someone does something that irritates us or disappoints us, we should quickly assume there are reasons we do not know—compassionate reasons—and be quick to forgive.
But for ourselves, it is different. As Christians, we have received the grace of God and the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, we must hold ourselves to the highest standards. We must not be quick to excuse our own shortcomings but instead be quick to examine them. While Christ extends to us infinite patience, forgiveness, and mercy, we often fail to extend the same to others. Our standard is not other people, but God himself.
This practice is demanding. It requires us to give everything because it aims to reshape our hearts and give us the vision of Christ. If we commit to doing this every day, it will transform how we see the world. We will become aware of our own sinfulness and our absolute dependence on God’s grace. We will no longer look down on others but instead see them through God’s eyes, recognizing their goodness and dignity. We will begin to live with the humility Christ asks of us.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells us that if we want to be first, we must be last and the servant of all. He shows us that true greatness is not about titles or positions, but about love, humility, and service. May we, like the Apostles, learn this lesson and allow it to change our hearts. Let us begin today, trusting that God’s grace will guide us on this path to authentic humility.