Learn of Me

By Fr. Christopher Foeckler, MJ • Phoenix, AZ

Jesus told His disciples, “Learn of Me, for I am meek and humble of heart…” With this exhortation in mind, I have often discovered in the accounts of the Gospels many occasions when Jesus practiced real humility! Some are obvious, but others you have to look more closely to find. Here are a few.

When Jesus and his disciples crossed the Sea of Galilee and landed at the Gerasene territory, the man possessed by a legion of demons whom no one could restrain – even with chains and shackles – and who terrorized the entire vicinity ran to Jesus and prostrated himself before Him. (Cf. Mk 51 ff.) The demons were begging Jesus not to drive them away, but to let them enter a herd of swine nearby. “So He gave them leave.” And the entire herd of swine made a mad dash down the steep bank into the sea and were drowned! The herdsmen and the townsfolk came to Jesus and in fear begged Him to leave their territory. Jesus, who had just arrived and had freed the man and entire vicinity of the terror of a legion of demons, obeyed them, turned around without a word, and got back in the boat. “Learn of Me.”

On His final journey to Jerusalem, Jesus warned His disciples on three separate occasions, and with increasing detail each time, of the impending doom that awaited Him there. (Cf. Mk 9:30 ff.) On each occasion, the disciples, who were afraid to ask Him about it, ended up arguing about who was the greatest among them. Jesus never chides them for not listening to Him about His impending suffering – which would certainly be reasonable in those circumstances – saying something like, “Brothers, I‘m going to be crucified and you are worried about who is the greatest?!” But, no. Jesus never makes it about Himself; rather, each time He offers them a beautiful lesson in discipleship, authority in the Kingdom of God, and becoming like a child to enter the Kingdom. I was rudely interrupted in a homily recently, and I made it all about me being boring and trying to make it more interesting as a way of chiding the offender; but I made it all about me. Jesus didn’t do that. “Learn of Me.”

Jesus is strongly criticized by some scribes from Jerusalem “as having a demon” and “expelling demons by the power of Beelzebub”. In the face of this assault, Jesus calmly “summons them and begins to speak to them in parables”. (Cf. Mk 3:20 ff.) First, He reasons with them that it is not a logical argument that Satan would be against Satan, because then his kingdom would be at an end. Then Jesus explains by another parable that “no one can enter a strong man’s house to plunder his property unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can plunder his house.” Did you catch that? Jesus is the one who is entering Satan’s house, overpowering him – the “strong man” – and binding him so that He can plunder His property! Jesus is not parading His own power here but is indicating it very clearly for those who can catch it in a very subtle or, shall we say, meek way. “Learn of Me.” 

There are many examples of these. Catching them is a great way to meditate and learn from Him!