“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey.” (Zechariah 9:9)

These are the words of the Prophet Zechariah, and they are the words he is best known for today. Zechariah foretold the arrival of a humble king, starkly contrasted with the current expectations of a mighty, warlike Messiah.

In Jesus, this prophecy is quite literally fulfilled. He is the Humble King who entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday seated on a donkey.

Why was humility so important to the Prophet Zechariah? Why did Jesus emphasize humility over and over again, and live it out himself? Because humility is essential to spiritual flourishing. Yet it seems to be more misunderstood than understood. Humility is highly desirable, and yet, it has been shunned by the modern world for the most part.

Humility is truth. It is false to devalue yourself or your talents. That isn’t humility. Humility is acknowledging the source of your talents. God is the giver of all gifts, the origin of all our talents and abilities, and the source of all goodness and every blessing. You can have exceptional abilities and be humble, you can be an exceptional human being and possess deep humility.

Humility isn’t about pretending to be small and fragile. The humblest people have a very powerful presence. They have a very strong sense of self. They also tend to have a beautiful awareness of reality. 

Our desire for humility grows the more we understand what it actually is, and how it differs from pride. 

Scratch just beneath the surface and you will discover that pride is small, mean, and scared. Humility is all-encompassing, generous, and trusting.

And here we may have stumbled upon the most important and practical aspect of humility. Only a humble soul can be led. It takes real humility to quiet our desires, and all the distractions of the world, and listen to the voice of the Spirit. And it takes humility to follow wherever that voice leads.



Feast Day: September 6

Feast Day Shared By: Saint Onésiphore

Also Known As: Saint Zechariah

Symbols: A Quill and Scroll