Readings:
Sir. 3:17-20, 28-29; Heb. 12:18-19, 22-24; Lk 14:1, 7-14
Pride
Goes Before the Fall
Today’s readings address
the virtue we all need but, sometimes, find it difficult to practice -
humility. “My child, conduct your affairs with humility, and you will be
loved more than a giver of gifts.” (Sir.3:17). ‘Humility’ comes from
the Latin word ‘humilitas’, a noun related to the adjective ‘humilis’,
translated as “humble”, also as “grounded”, or “from the earth”, since it
derives from humus (earth). A humble person has a modest or low view of their
importance. Jesus Christ invites us to “Learn from me, for I am meek and
humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves.” (Matt. 11:29).
The way of Christ is that of the lamb of God who took away the sins of the
world. He is the suffering servant of God who is “Not crying out, not
shouting, not making his voice heard in the street. A bruised reed he shall not
break and a smoldering wick he shall not quench, until he establishes justice
on the earth.” (Is. 42:1-4). And so, the readings call on us to be
humble in dealing with others. A humble person is always loved. His humility is
a gift that is more than material, for he gives the gift of himself to others.
Humility is not
self-abasement or self-depreciation. We must not underestimate or underrate our
abilities. God has given us gifts, and they are for a good purpose to be put at
the service of God, to build up his body, the church. St Peter reminds us about
our gifts: “As each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another
as good stewards of God’s varied grace. Whoever preaches, let it be with the words
of God, whoever serves, let it be with the strength that God supplies, so that
in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ.” (1 Pet.
4:10-11). Humility disposes us to put our time, talent, and treasure in the
service of God and his people. It enables us to recognize our weaknesses and
limitations. It allows us to acknowledge that everything we have comes from
God; hence, we receive God’s gifts with gratitude. Since all we have is a gift
from God, who we are should not make us pompous and boastful, arrogant, and conceited.
Instead, we should put God first in all things, people next, and ourselves last.
That is the fruit of humility. The book of Proverbs reminds us that “Before
his downfall a man’s heart is haughty, but humility goes before honors.”
(Prov. 18:12). Pride goes before the fall; if we are not humble, we will stumble
and fall. And what a fall that would be!
In the Gospel, we are invited
to dinner by God the Father himself, just as Christ dined at the leading
Pharisee’s house. Many of those invited were busy taking places of honor
regardless of who else was invited. This is a common problem in our society
today. Christ reminds us that it is better to be invited to a high table by our
host than to be demoted to the floor seat with others. Won’t we be embarrassed
if we are told to give up our place to someone more important than ourselves?
How do we present ourselves before God the Father and Jesus Christ, his Son, at
the Eucharistic table? Have we come to church with the sole purpose of meeting
the Lord in the Eucharist and to celebrate with our brothers and sisters, or
have we come to tell God of our importance? Do we discriminate against others
at the table of the Lord, or do we see ourselves as brothers and sisters in
worship of our Father? Are we boastful and conceited like the Pharisee in the
bible, “O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity –
greedy, dishonest, adulterous – or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a
week, and I pay tithes on my whole income” or are we humble enough to
know our position in life and acknowledge our need for God? ‘O God, be
merciful to me, a sinner.” (Lk. 18:9-14). Indeed, a humble person who
looks up to God rarely looks down on anyone, especially if they were poor, for
he does not see himself as being better than anyone. Isn’t it funny that some
of us like to sit at the back pew in church, but when invited to a social
gathering, we take the seat at the high table with no consideration that
someone greater than ourselves may have been invited, and we may have to give
up our seat to that person?
Christ exhorts us to
consider deeply who to invite to our celebrations. The law of reciprocity is to
be avoided by all means. We are to ask, instead, the poor, the crippled, the
lame, the blind, the disenfranchised, and the downtrodden and invite them to
the high table. That they are unable to repay us means we are blessed, for we
will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous. Thus, Christ reminds us
that our being admitted into the kingdom will depend on how we treat the poor.
Did we feed the hungry, or give water to the thirsty, did we welcome the
stranger or clothe the naked, did we visit those in prison or sick at home? “What
you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.” (Mt.
25:45). So, is our humility grounded in our faith to the point of seeing
everyone as my brother or my sister? Do I allow Christ to grow in my life so
that I no longer see how important I am, but the importance of those around me?
Can I say with St. Paul, “Yet I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in
me.”? (Gal. 2:20).
Rev.
Augustine Etemma Inwang, MSP
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