Humilty: It's Not About Me in an All About Me World
Nicolaus Copernicus (1473–1543), a Polish Astronomer and officer in the Roman Catholic Church (RCC), after years of scientific inquiry challenged the long held belief that the sun, stars, and planets revolved around Earth—God’s greatest creation. Copernicus published his findings in 1543 and died that very same year. Within time, the Italian inventor and astronomer, Galileo Galilei (1564-1642), confirmed in 1610 that the Earth does indeed revolve around the Sun.
Imagine confirming a theory that upended the foundation of traditional Christian thought and brought into question long held beliefs about God’s relationship with the Earth. For Galilei it meant being condemned a heretic by the RCC, who in 1633, went on to issue a prohibition against the Copernicun theory. Nearly a century later, thanks to the discoveries of physicists like Johannes Kepler (1571-1630), and eventually, Sir Isaac Newton (1643-1727) the Copernican Revolution was confirmed and came to an end.[1]
I Am Not the Center of the Universe
So, you might ask, “What in the world does the Copernican Revolution have to do with humility?” I suppose there are numerous ways we might answer this question, like, Copernicus finally publishes his work only to die before knowing the weight of its impact. Or Galilei, who studiously builds on this important work, only to be condemned a heretic. Or, upon reflection, we might conclude that there is great risk involved when it comes to identifying radical and paradigmatic shifts and the innovation that follows.
Margaret Silf, in her book Landmarks: An Ignatian Journey introduces a revolution of another sort, as she urges us to consider the existential questions of life on a regular basis, Where Am I? How Am I? Who Am I?
Silf posits that transformation takes place at the core of our being and is fully realized once we embrace the fact that life is meant to be lived with God at the center and not self. This Copernican-like Revolution is counter to a culture that insists on radical self-expression and aims to serve our every whim. On demand.
This humbling realization, at least in my experience, seems to emerge over the course of our lives with God and necessitates an always-growing-awareness of the often shrill voices from within that tempt us to belittle, compare, covet, perform, fear, and control. Or the cacophony of voices from the outside that confirm, yes, you are the center of the universe, you deserve respect, a voice, a place at the table.
Whose Kingdom Am I Serving?
Once we discover that the Bible tells the true story of the whole world, we begin to realize that we live under the rule and reign of the Creator of the universe, the triune God. In theory, this makes sense, right? And yet, the process of grasping this reality involves a series, even a lifetime, of experiences, choices, often major crises to remind us, we are not the center of the universe, God is.
Silf’s thoughtful guidance encourages a growing awareness of God’s presence and provides us with handrails for facing desolation—anguish, despair, and misery, and consolation—solace, comfort, and peace. She suggests that we regularly ask ourselves the question, “Whose kingdom am I really serving? My own kingdom? Another person’s kingdom? Or God’s kingdom?”[2] I have found that asking this question brings things into perspective and can right-size our frustration, anxiety, jealousy, or doubt.
Recently, while reading the Gospel of John, I noticed how Jesus repeatedly reminds his various audiences that his soul purpose revolves around doing the will of the Father. Amazingly, the Creator becomes the created and ushers in a kingdom that is not of this world. Jesus, perfectly, yields to the Father’s will and provides for us an example of what it looks like to serve in God’s kingdom.
Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, although he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men (Phil 2:5–7)
Serving in God’s kingdom requires a self-emptying—a humility—that goes against the cultural narrative, indeed, against the very grain of human nature. Following in the footsteps of Jesus necessitates a shift in orientation. It’s not about me in an all about me world.
The season of Lent is upon us, and is a perfect time to set aside time and perhaps read the Gospel of John and observe the humble witness of Jesus. His words and way of life paint for us a picture of God’s upside down kingdom. Over the next few weeks, as you encounter and react to the desolation and consolation of life, ponder the question, “Whose kingdom am I really serving?”
Next time: Humility: The Freedom of Unselfing
[1] “Nicolaus Copernicus,” Online: https://kids.kiddle.co/Copernican_Revolution and Maurice A. Finocchiaro, “400 Years Ago the Catholic Church Prohibited Copernicanism,” Origins: Current Events in Historical Perspective, February 2016, OSU.EDU, Online: https://origins.osu.edu/milestones/february-2016-400-years-ago-catholic-church-prohibited-copernicanism. Benjamin Neavear, “The Scientific Revolution: Time Period, Causes, Summary,” study.com, November 21, 2023, Online: https://study.com/academy/lesson/the-scientific-revolution-definition-history-causes-leaders). I do not claim to be a scientist, physicist or astronomer, but drew from some online sources to provide this brief summary.
[2] Margaret Silf, Landmarks: An Ignatian Journey (London: Darton, Longman and Todd, Ltd, 1998), 81.
