Over recent months I have been thinking a lot about humility, Jesus saying that he is "humble in heart" and what that means, as well as his teaching on the sermon on the mount. It seems the way of the Kingdom is down and Jesus tells us that we are called to serve not be served. To be humble, and in that humility find rest for our souls. Humility and human come from the same Latin word - "humus". Humus is soil, rich soil, the kind of soil out of which good things grow. Tied in with this is that fact that Adam was made from earth and the name "Adam" means earth. Yet Jesus the "second Adam" emptied himself and humbled himself in taking on human form. On my recent retreat I wrote a poem called "Holy Humus" which tries to capture some of this aspect of Jesus and his call on us to live with true humility, not false humility.
Holy Humus
To be born is to be human, when from the womb we’re thrust
Fully formed matter, made of earth and dust
When young, so beautiful and perfect
When old the scent of must
Each person sacred earth, shaped by the potter’s hand
With occasional deviations, from the genetic plan
Yet each body holds a soul, a sacred spirit life
Unique, of equal value – a jewel of greatest price
Being human is being humus, soil rich and deep
But our culture sells us trinkets, soil is so drab and cheap
Yet this humus, seen as “dirty” – something to be washed away
Is the place of the divine made holy, as WORD is wrapped in clay
We love the fruits of summer, as sweet juices down chins flow
But these fruits we take for granted, come from the soil below
Externally for all to see we put our best on show, to win a “first place” ticket and accolades bestow
To show to one and all, we have great worth and value
When inside we know the truth, our broken souls are very fragile
The WORD, the life, came humbly - and took this humus form
Emptied himself to show us worth, to bear our shame and scorn
This second “Adam” this holy dust, who knew pain – hunger, and thirst
To reveal the upside down work of God, and to the lowliest give worth
This WORD showed his beloved dust, by flipping things around
The way to peace and value is not up, but deeper down
Anything external, the fruits of true humility
Only come from deeper roots, the hidden sets us free
From the need to be great, to have the highest place
To foot washing surrender, see in the other – Jesus face