- 1st Reading – Sirach 3:17-18, 20, 28-29
- 2nd Reading – Hebrews 12:18-19, 22-24a
- Gospel – Luke 14:1, 7-14
Today’s Gospel poses some interesting questions: How does a person become humble? How does a person strive for ……? Or practice humility? And can a person who has humility even know or establish that fact? Can a person claim to be humble?
Today’s society makes humility very difficult, where, people, from an early age, are instilled with the desire to strive for personal achievement, to become successful, to climb that ladder of success. But we only have to watch the news to realize that the higher you go on that ladder, the further down it is to fall. The news is filled with stories of important or famous people caught up in some kind of scandal, falling from grace…. in public humiliation.
We also live in a world of competition; from schoolyard games to the Super Bowl or the Olympics. In everyday life, it seems like we are always competing for something, whether at school or in the workplace. It is this “Competitive spirit” or “success in life” that Jesus warns us about in today’s Gospel. Jesus warns us about the competitive spirit that comes from pride. It’s pride that gives us pleasure in being better than others or to have more than others. This type of competitiveness separates people and can be a source of envy, or greed. However, the competitive spirit can be good if it is combined with a deep sense of humility. Humility does not mean to deny our talents and the gifts that were given to us by God. Our Blessed Mother, for example, thanked and praised God for the favors that God had given her. She recognized that those favors were accompanied by a great responsibility. That the blessings she received were not for her benefit, but for use in the service of others. Mary proclaimed that all generations will call her blessed. On the surface, that may sound like pride, but Mary always gives all credit and glory to God, and always points to Jesus as the way of salvation.
A good example is the great debate over the biblical story of creation versus the theory of evolution. In 1859 Charles Darwin published “On the Origin of Species” from which comes the theory of evolution. Ever since then, science and many Christian groups have created and taken sides on the great debate of “creation vs. evolution”. As Catholics we should have no problem in scientists trying to figure out all the minute details in how God created man and the universe. To me the details aren’t important, But, the danger is in taking God out of the equation and not giving God the credit and the thanks for the universe and everything in it……….and thanks for our very lives.
In the first reading, from Sirach, we are instructed to: “conduct our affairs with humility”. The Christian virtue of humility is knowing our status, not necessarily before man, but before God, knowing our strengths and our weaknesses, and understanding that God’s gifts are freely given, not rewards for a job well done. We cannot repay God for what he has done for us and given us. Only humbly can we receive these gifts. The greater the gifts, the greater the responsibility in using those gifts according to God’s will… This is the kind of humility recommended by Sirach in the first reading: “Humble yourself more, the greater you are.” Secondly, humility requires that, like Mary, we must recognize that our gifts are not for our own advantage, but for the service of others. It’s not what a person has that is important, but what a person does with what he has. Thirdly, humility requires that we admit our dependence on others. No one is self-sufficient. Despite the great accomplishments a person may achieve, everyone is dependant on the goodness and generosity of others. I’ve been reminded of this point several times; once when my wife’s & my house burned down and had so many people help us rebuild our lives. Again, when I was seriously ill for many months a few years ago, and again many people came to our aid. I’m sure all of us have had help from others in a time of need. But above all, humility requires our acknowledgement of our dependence on God; our realization that without God we are nothing.
In the parable of the banquet in today’s Gospel, Christ is teaching us basic table manners for life. Not to look down on others, to serve those who cannot repay, and placing others in honor ahead of ourselves. After all it is us who are the poor, the blind, the lame and crippled:
We are poor in spirit, when we lack faith, hope & trust in God.
We are crippled and lame, with the pains of our sins and addictions.
We are blind, when we fail to see the presence of God in our lives.
That is why Christ invites us here to the banquet of his table—to celebrate the Eucharist. We approach this table with the words: “Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word & I shall be healed”; a holy longing for union with God.
When we learn the true meaning of humility, then we will have lived the Gospel and our invitation & reward will be the eternal banquet in heaven.