St Gregory the Great

"I planted, Apollos watered, but God caused the growth. Therefore, neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who causes the growth." 1 Cor 3:6

In one of his sermons, St Gregory the Great acknowledges how difficult it is for him to live and proclaim the Gospel simply, honestly and fully. Trapped in his role as bishop, he is often at a loss about how not to judge others harshly while at the same time urging them to live the Gospel. Freely admitting that his commitment to the Good News was easier when he was a monk locked away in a monastery, he confesses to all his distractions and to the negligence that results because of his preoccupations with being a "good" bishop.

St Paul confesses to the same agitation in his first letter to the Corinthians. Too many people, by claiming they belong to Paul or to one of his disciples, are dividing the community and distracting one another from the Gospel path. In defending their behavior or interpretation of the Gospel by citing their allegiance to the Apostles, they miss the point of Paul's preaching, and Paul can only remind them that they belong to Christ, no one else, and that he is only a coworker of Christ in the ways of faith.

When we accept our role as coworkers with and for Christ in building God's reign, we not only acknowledge the limitations of our personal power, we welcome others to the work of Evangelization. We are only the body of Christ when we accept our own role and celebrate the role of all those committed to the proclamation of thee Gospel.

Today, be humble. Admit one fault and ask God for the grace to put it aside.

What are your biggest stumbling blocks in living the Gospel with humility?