The Door of Humility

One of the oldest and most important churches in the world is the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. Pilgrims from all around the world – Christians of all kinds and some non-Christians, too – visit there to see where Jesus was born. One of the remarkable things about the church is what you see before you enter. Instead of a tall and broad entryway, as one might expect for such a venerable church, the door from the outside is a narrow passage about four feet tall. It was probably built that way for security reasons, but over the years, the door has taken on a spiritual significance as well. The “Door of Humility,” as it is known, is the only way in to the place of Jesus’s birth; to enter into where God humbled Himself to become Man, each person has to literally bow down as well.

The Epiphany (1653) by Francisco Herrera 'the Elder'

In today’s Gospel, the Magi journey to the same spot in Bethlehem to find the Child Jesus, the Son of Mary. Upon finding him, we are told they “prostrated themselves and did him homage.” There was no Church of the Nativity at that time, no Humility Door to pass through, but they humbled themselves because such is the way to greet a king. The Magi have made the long journey because they know the Child born in Bethlehem is “the Christ”, the Messiah, the King of the Jews.

You and I recognize something else, something the Magi may not have – that this Child is not just a king but also our very God come to redeem us. In Jesus, the glory of the Lord has been made manifest, fully revealed, if we have the humility to see it. Such is the mystery of the Savior's birth, the way He chose to enter into our world. The Son of God comes not in power and glory, as we might expect, but with humility and love, through the door of our own lowly human nature. But to encounter the truth of who He is and to receive the salvation He brings, we also must bow down low.

The Gospel today reminds us that there were others who were aware of the birth of Jesus who did not receive Him with humility. Herod, along with his advisers and the rest of the important people in Jerusalem, reacted to the coming of Christ with fear, violence, and indifference. This is the pattern that played out throughout Jesus’s life. Many people were attracted by Him and came to see Him, but only the humble truly understood who He was and what He offered. The rich, the powerful, the important, the high-and-mighty – for them, Jesus was disappointing, perplexing, infuriating. But for the poor and the needy, for the disgraced and the outcast, for the sinner and the desperate, Jesus was Himself salvation – He offered love, mercy, transformation of life.

This is still the pattern that plays out today. So often we search for God but only according to our own terms. Our prideful expectations of what we want from Him hold us back from truly encountering Him where He is. Our fear at what He might ask of us prevents us from receiving the gifts He desires to give us. If only we were to approach Him in a different way – with trust, with humility, with dependence – we could behold the newness of Christ, the salvation that God offers us in him. 

"The Door of Humility," Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem

Friends, whether we know it or not, you and I entered the doors of this church to do what the Magi did long ago: to worship the King, the Savior born for us. Whether we will have found Him by the time we leave here depends largely on whether we are willing to pass through another door, not a physical one but a spiritual one: a door that consists in humility of heart. Only by accepting our own littleness, our total dependence on the Lord, can we experience the love of Him who made Himself little for our sake.

May this Eucharist enliven our hearts to behold in faith His humble Presence and to love Him where He may be found.