While Washington was not perfect and certainly had plenty of faults, he understood the importance of stepping down from power, of becoming small. In doing so, he demonstrated his greatness. He served when it was needed, but he was willing to step down and trust in others to continue the great work that he had started.
Perhaps this seems like an odd posting for a Christmas Eve, it is tied directly to one of the messages of Christmas. In his homily, our pastor told us, "To be great is to be small." God humbled Himself by taking on human form and living a human life. He did so to make the world a better place, and after a time he trusted in us to continue His great work.
In our own lives, improving the world around us often requires humility and a willingness to do what we can without hope of recognition. Will we, this Christmas, rededicate ourselves to making the world better without desiring greatness itself? Can we learn to recognize that greatness is truly achieved through humility and placing our trust in others?
Merry Christmas.