Grace in Our Falls:
A Long Loving Look at Humility
This week’s story crescendos with an elderly gentleman found sitting on the ground after a stumble—a quiet, unexpected moment that seduces and cajoles him into a deep Contemplation (a Long Loving Look) at the difference between being humiliated and being humbled. There is a sense that this very act of reflection is a rich Spiritual Exercise for all of us because, whether we like it or not, whether our falls are anticipated or utterly raw, they are coming.
When we allow our falls to become moments of humiliation, we imply that we should somehow stand “above” falling—that shame is the proper response. It’s as if we must scramble to our feet as quickly as possible, hoping there were no witnesses or, at the very least, that our fall was a solitary misstep.
Yet when we choose to step into humility in the wake of a fall, we acknowledge that we all stumble. We all fall—and indeed, Jesus fell, for God’s sake. As Richard Rohr so simply and brilliantly reminds us, suffering arises when we are not in control. In our falls, that control is lost, and we enter into suffering—whether a little or a lot. Humility, then, is a loving reminder that suffering is part of the human condition and that many have tripped before us; in our vulnerability, we are never truly alone.
To fall—and through that fall, to embrace the mystery of humility—is to remember once again that God is vast and we are small, and that in our smallness we are always in need of God.
Thank you for falling. Thank you for joining us in this sacred contemplation.
- Terry Nelson-Johnson
Grace-ercises
- Recall the Moment of Surrender
Bring to mind an instance where you felt utterly out of control—an experience that left you vulnerable and uncertain. In the stillness, observe the emotions that surface and the lessons hidden within that moment of surrender.
- Discernment Through Imaginative Prayer
Imagine conversing with Jesus in that very moment of weakness. Ask: “What are you revealing through this loss of control? How might relinquishing my grasp invite me to a deeper trust in Grace?” Let your mind dwell in the mystery of God’s loving care.
- Offer the Moment as a Gift
Share your fall, your vulnerability, and your desire for guidance with God. Pray for the willingness to embrace your weaknesses and poverties as an invitation to rely more fully on God’s infinite love and wisdom. Let this discernment gently reshape your understanding of control and surrender.
- Offer a Prayer of Solidarity
Thank God for the gift of shared vulnerability and the solidarity it brings—a reminder that no fall is faced alone. Ask for the grace to see every person as a beloved companion on this journey, and for the courage to extend support and empathy as we all lean on God’s infinite care.
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