“EVERYONE WHO EXALTS HIMSELF WILL BE HUMBLED AND HE WHO HUMBLES HIMSELF WILL BE EXALTED” (Luke 14:11)

⏰Twenty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)

📖Sirach 3:17-20, 28-29; Ps 68:4-5ac, 6-7ab, 10-11 (R.v.11b); Heb 12:18-19, 22-24a; Luke 14:7-14

🎤”EVERY ONE WHO EXALTS HIMSELF WILL BE HUMBLED AND HE WHO HUMBLES HIMSELF WILL BE EXALTED” (Luke 14:11)

Last Sunday, Jesus called on us to follow the narrow gate if we want to get into the kingdom of God. As we know, nothing that is big can pass through that narrow gate. Pride bloats and makes one big. Can you now see the wisdom of God in choosing to teach us the necessity of humility today?

The evangelist Luke used the setting of a feast to tell us of the importance and inclusiveness of this call. Nobody is exempted from it. In fact, the higher the level of the individual, the more the level of humility required of him as the First Reading says (cf. Sir 3:18).

Did you notice that the person that invited Jesus was a Pharisee (cf. Luke 14:1) and the people that were invited would be people of his class (cf. Luke 14:3)? These were top people in the Jewish society and Jesus used them as materials for this practical lesson. This is a warning against those who choose to pay so much attention to class distinction and so looks down on others; those who believe that nobody who is not in their class can be successful, and those who are conscious of their placement above others.

The bad thing is that sometimes, if not most times, the people who do this are ignorant of the fact that they do so. That is why God has created us and placed us in the society, to correct ourselves and learn from ourselves. Whenever I see someone who is very proud, I simply place myself in his shoes and asked, “If I am in his position, will I be behaving the way he does?” I will learn from his mistakes and move on.

How humble are you? Are you able to grow in humility? How do you take it when people tell you that you are very proud, even when they do so out of jealousy for your progress? Do you take that in good faith and pray for the grace to be more humble? I must tell you, it is very hard to do this. I was tested yesterday and I’m sure I failed. It is only by our cooperation with the grace of God that we can do that.

Note what the First Reading tells us; it is only the humble that can win favour in the sight of God. I think it goes on to say that if you embrace your success with humility, God will reveal more channels of success to you (cf. Sir 3:19).

May the Lord give us the grace to purge ourselves of our arrogance and pride and embrace the veil of humility so that we may remain at all times on Mount Zion, the city of the living God, where all the children destined for redemption are gathered for the heavenly banquet. Amen.

Have a blessed Sunday dear friend. Peace be with you.