A lesson on humility from the Shepherds and the Magi.
The Default Mode
We live in an era of the "Hot Take." We feel a compulsive need to have an opinion on everything, to share it immediately, and to ensure we are perceived as knowledgeable. We approach our spiritual lives the same way—we talk at God, listing our requirements and theological insights, rather than letting Him reveal Himself to us. We are too busy "knowing" to actually learn.
The Carmelite Shift
In the episode, we discussed a profound distinction made by Bishop Sheen regarding the only two groups who recognized Christ at the Nativity:
"The shepherds are those who know they know nothing, and the Magi are those who know they don't know everything."
Both groups shared one common trait: Silence.
The Shepherds were silent because they were attending to their duties. The Magi were silent because they were attending to the stars. Neither group was projecting their own ego onto reality; they were watching reality unveil itself.
This is the anchor: You do not need to have something to say. In fact, your need to speak is likely getting in the way. Silence is the humility that admits, "I do not know everything, so I will watch and listen." If you want to see the Christ Child this Christmas, you have to stop trying to be the smartest person in the room and start being the most attentive.
The Bridge
If you are tired of the gap between what you know and how you live, you need a practical way to bridge that distance.
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