There was once a little burro (a kind of donkey) whose job was to break in the wildest steers. The bucking, convulsing steer would be haltered to the little burro, and both would be turned loose into the desert. They would disappear over the horizon, the strong steer tossing the little burro around like a streamer in the wind. They might be gone for days, but sooner or later both would come home, the little burro bringing the now submissive and meek steer in tow. Somewhere out yonder the steer would tire of his futile attempts to get rid of the burro, and at that point the little donkey would take charge and lead the steer back home.

William Barclay in his commentary on Matthew says meekness is the word the Greeks used to describe a domesticated, trained animal, which has learned to obey the voice of its master. Meekness is not weakness, spinelessness or even subservience, but the quality of self-control which can also accept the control of another. So Barclay paraphrases Jesus' beatitude: 'Blessed is the one who is always angry at the right time and never at the wrong time, who has every instinct, every impulse, every passion under control. Blessed is the one who is entirely self-controlled, or Godcontrolled, who has the humility to realize [his or her] own ignorance and weakness...'

Lord, I pray for a true humility, self-control, which comes from having my passions and desires controlled by you. Amen.