Years ago, a soda commercial portrayed a fan girl meeting her celebrity idol, she was given options on how to react in front of her idol: will she get his autograph? Ignore him? or will she kiss him? She chose none of the options and rather chose to be simply human. She shouted at the top of her lungs: I love you Piolo. The commercial ended with a tagline: Magpakatoo ka. She simply expressed her real feelings, as a thirsty person would simply drink the soda, without any pretensions and hesitations. Nagpakatotoo lang. Life may not be a soda advertisement, but the message of this commercial reverberates in real life. How many of us are being truthful about who we are, or pretending to be someone else (willfully living in lies), and worse is, do not know who we are?
Truth hurts. We heard this saying many times, and many times we try to avoid some truths in our lives for they truly wound us. We choose to ignore them, even deny them at times. Whatever we do, however, they remain to be in our lives. Ignoring them can never diminish truths. We are simply delaying the day we come face to face with them and accept them.
A worse attitude towards the truths in our life (more than ignoring), is fantasying. When the truth hurts so much, some may replace it with alternative truth, half-truths, and lies; letting themselves believe that what they thought is what is real, but actually, is simply a lie. Surrounding himself with self-made beliefs, he grows detached from who he is. As he is living in a lie, he ends up being a delusional, hypocrite, living a double life, a hidden life. One illusion a person can concoct is that he is better than the rest; better than who he is.
In the gospel (Lk 14:1, 7-14), Jesus tells us to take our proper seats in a banquet. Some may think of themselves as one worthy of seats of honor, and so they take them, only to be embarrassed when asked: Give your place to this man. Detached from his true worth, one may over-valuate himself, and thinks he is better than the rest. The key to knowing our proper place is humility. Jesus says: When you are invited, go and take the lowest place so that when the host comes to you he may say, My friend, move up to a higher position. Truths (about ourselves and life) are discovered in humility. Humility is not always about taking the lowest seat, doing the menial work, wearing tattered shirts, and other mean things. Humility is about truth. St. Thomas explains that humility is about knowing ourselves for what we are, and in relation to God and our neighbor. It is one's regard for himself according to the reality of his life. In the face of God's greatness, and the merit of our neighbor, we cannot remain to be in our delusions and make beliefs. Knowing the truths about ourselves, with all our weaknesses and shortcoming, we cannot but be humble about ourselves. That humility leads us to truthfulness. Ang pagpapakababa ay syang daan sa pagpapakatotoo.
Who among us would like to be humble? As humility becomes synonymous with modesty (pagkamahinhin), meekness (pagkamaamo), and submissiveness (masunurin), who would desire to embrace this virtue? When almost all are ready to give a fight whenever they are challenged, who would think of humility? Only those who are courageous enough to take the lowest seat, and face the truth will do so (and become humble).
The good news for those who take the path of humility is that they will find true joy and peace in being truthful (about themselves). The book of Sirach reminds us: My child, conduct your affairs with humility, and you will be loved more than a giver of gifts. Humble yourself the more, the greater you are, and you will find favor with God...Water quenches a flaming fire, and alms atone for sins (Sir 3:17-18, 20, 28-29). The humble ones find favor in God: For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted (Lk 14:1, 7-14). For those who have been made poor in the name of humility and truthfulness, God, in His goodness, makes a home for them (Ps 68:4-5, 6-7, 10-11).
Who would like to be humble; to be humbled?
Who would like to be truthful?
Magpapakatotoo ka ba?
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