March 18

Matthew 9:27 – 34

Link to Bible verses: Matthew 9

Humility: leads to a more loving stance in the world through authenticity

“But the Pharisees said, ‘He drives out demons by the prince of demons.’” What I hear in this statement, which comes after Jesus performed healing miracles, is fear. Fear of the inexplicable. Fear of being wrong. Fear of a power beyond human knowledge and control.

Whatever our specific responses to fear, they usually entail a shutting down, probably a shutting down of our hearts and/or our wizard brains (our cerebral cortex or “thinking” brain). When in fear, we tend to react instead of respond, react instead of problem solve, react instead of stretch toward love and mercy.

Conversely, if we can position ourselves as grounded in humility, we more easily open our hearts and minds to all experiences, and we may thereby reduce our reactivity to fear. In short, cultivating humility involves increasingly giving ourselves over to God’s presence and guidance, to an ever-deeper faith that all of creation is held with love and mercy. Importantly, though, this doesn’t mean we avoid fear or suffering; those are core, unavoidable experiences of being human. But it does mean we are less likely to be controlled by these challenges and that we are more likely to spread God’s love and mercy as a response to fear and suffering. What a world that could be!

Thank you to Linda Land-Closson for writing our 2026 Lenten Devotions.