The Virtue of Humility

Twenty Second Sunday in Ordinary Time (C)

A friend of mine is a mentor for top CEOs and he has explored the qualities of effective leadership. He has come to the realisation that humility is a key element in leadership.

He refers to a conversation he had with Major General Andy Salmon, former head of the British Royal Marines, who surprised him in saying that humility is an important element in commando culture. 

The General commented: “As a part of our culture we practice ‘Team first, buddy second and self last’, adding “In order to be humble and lose your ego, you have to lose yourself.”

This could be taken directly from the teachings of Christ, as given in the Gospel today, and, indeed, mirrored in the first reading this morning from the Book of Ecclesiasticus.

Let me quote from my friend’s book on leadership in business.

Humility starts with genuine self-acceptance of who you are, recognising and accepting your strengths and weaknesses, your humanity, personality and capability.

In this sense humility is crucial to embracing Plato’s injunction to ‘First know yourself’.

The humble person recognises their own talents and abilities and has no need to tell others of them. They celebrate the success of others, and are not bothered when their own role or contribution is overlooked. Humility recognises that there is always someone better than you at a given task or activity, and that there is always someone not as good as you at that task or activity.

The extreme of humility (self-abasement) falsely says, ‘I am the worst’, while the deficiency (self-aggrandisement) proudly says, ‘I am the best’.

The self-centred, egotistical CEO is a well-known manifestation of that deficiency of humility we call hubris or pride. These destructive leaders enhance their standing by standing on others.

You may have worked for a CEO who makes themselves the centre of attention, takes credit for every success and absorbs all the emotional energy whenever they enter a room. Contrast this with the impact of [Nelson] Mandela entering a room and merely by his presence inspiring everyone to be the best they could be.

Many times in the Gospels the Lord says that the first shall be last and the last first. After the teaching parable today Jesus comments, “For everyone who exults himself will be humbled, and the man who humbles himself shall be exalted”.

This teaching of the Lord is not just a moral good, but it is in fact shown as a path to sound and effective leadership. The wisdom of the Old Testament reading today reminds us: “the greater you are the more you should behave humbly”.

Today is Social Justice Sunday in Australia. Since 1940 the bishops of Australia have released a Social Justice Statement on the last Sunday of August.

This year the Statement addresses the rise of violence and abuse in our society, with a particular emphasis on its prevalence in families. The statistics quoted in the Statement bring home the high levels of violence and abuse in our society.

Domestic abuse has been the subject of many studies and government campaigns. We are aware that there is much concern about its rise within society. We note that public campaigns appear on our television about abuse in hospitals, schools and shops. We see signs in doctors’ rooms and in pharmacies saying that abuse will not be tolerated. 

Abuse in its various forms has become commonplace. Our society has become less civil and patient. Outbursts of anger are now a fact of life.

The rise of violence and abuse especially in domestic situations is complex and can be the result of many causes, and can be intergenerational.

Caring for who have suffered has become an important component of our Catholic agencies here in Tasmania. CatholicCare provides counselling services for victims of abuse. It conducts programs to assist people in anger management.

We also have a Rapid Rehousing program which can offer women and children immediate help in fleeing domestic violence. We have programs to enable people to have  accommodation over the longer term if they have been forced out of the family home.

In response to the rise in violence and abuse in our society there has been a focus put on having respect for others. We often see programs encouraging respect for others. This is the title of the Social Justice Statement. In a way this takes us back to the teaching of the Lord about humility.

A person who has developed the virtue of humility recognises and accepts the truth about themselves and others. Such a person knows the human experience of having both strengths and weaknesses. Being aware of one’s own frailties assists us in being patient with the failings of others.

The virtue of humility is an important ingredient in fostering spousal unity and family harmony, and proper social interactions.

While the issue of the increase of violence and abuse in our Australian society is serious and complex, we can make our own contribution – small as it may be – by fostering within ourselves the virtue of humility.

Archbishop Julian Porteous

Saturday, 27 August 2022