Three levels of humility

I am very inch. Humility is a virtue I am in want. Today, I don't want to write about the tragedy in the Philippines. Many people have spoken more than enough and today, many people organize many prayer services and processions. Our senses (including common sense) have been bombarded non-stop by feeds after feeds from the mass media. Enough is enough.

The opening ceremony for a new school year for my studies in the Holy Spirit Seminary College of Theology & Philosophy was held today. I took part in sharing together with Teresa Ng, as Year 2 students, our study experiences with the Year One newcomers. There were a couple of familiar faces.
Among them, the LaSalle boys are doing well. Fr. Lui Chi Man, Dominic, swore in today as a professor teaching moral theology. Paul, who has already obtained a PhD in psychology, came to study the Licentiate in Theology course. He said he loved teaching and saw that a lot of professors in the College were ageing. He wanted to study theology and in the future teach in the College. His aunt, Teresa Ng, my classmate told me that Paul would get married next year.
Betty Wong studied the Biblical Diploma course with me six years ago. She came, one year behind me, to further enhance her biblical understanding.
Tam Chun Ho, a friend of teenage days from Choi Hung, also came to study. His wife had attended this opening ceremony and she told me that she had already finished this course some years ago. How sweet it is that husband and wife take turns to study!
I feel good about this college of Theology & Philosophy because many elite and fervour Catholics come here to enhance their knowledge of the Catholic faith.

Many professors co-celebrated the opening mass in the afternoon. Fr. Lam Chung Wai, Simon, the Provincial of the Salesians Don Bosco, was the concelebrant with Bishop John Tong. Fr. Lam spoke in the homily on the theme of the gospel reading --- humility. He distinguished three levels of humility. It was the first time for me to hear the homily of Fr. Simon Lam. Unfortunately, I was already tired and not able to fully pick up his homily. What a pity! I have to dig up from the Internet what "three levels of humility" are. From a 1910 article in the Catholic Encyclopedia, one may discover that St. Benedict spoke about 12 degrees of humility and St. Anselm seven! These saints do NOT impress me with humility, at far as the intellectual dimension is concerned.

Humility is no longer a value, not to mention virtue, in modern society which is marked by its competitiveness. People need to outshine his colleagues in order to survive and to get promoted. This is understandable. But challenging and criticizing the government, the authority are fashionable. For example, 8 Hongkongers were gunned down in a hijack incident in Manila. The Philippine president and police have drawn a lot of criticisms as a result of this botched rescue operation. Tens of thousands of Hongkongers took to the street today to show their dissatisfaction of the incompetence of the Philippine government in the name of justice, one of the four cardinal virtues!

Nothing can happen without God's consent. For the sake of argument, let us assume that this tragedy is God's will. The 8 Hongkongers and the hijacker were all victims of an incompetent government disabled by corruption. Then, shall we not submit to God's will? This submission is the first level of humility.
Two cases of dismissal of domestic helpers caused by this tragedy have been confirmed. Some people have forgotten how much these domestic helpers have contributed to the economy of Hong Kong. They have released a lot of housewives to join the workforce of Hong Kong, enhancing her economy. The ability to recognize the virtues and talents others possess is the second level of humility.
Perhaps due to Interpol agreements, the Hong Kong Government has sent five police and forensic officers to collect evidence from the tourist coach, the crime scene of this hijack incident in the Philippines. I am rather pessimistic with the outcomes. If the Hong Kong people are willing to accept the limit of the talents and authority of our officers, we have attained the third level of humility.
In his homily, Fr. Simon Lam told us a story of a crippled child buying a crippled dog in a pet shop. It was a touching story, teaching us the true meaning of humility. However, humility does not seem to occupy any place in the Manila tragedy. Hong Kong people are demanding justice instead. How does humility go hand in hand with the demand of justice? This is really a challenging question to meditate on.

Dear Lord, my sins and my sickness are before my eyes continuously. They teach me to be humble. My Lord, I submit my life to Your will. Amen.