The texts today from the Roman Catholic Lectionary probe our experience of being humble and being invited. The Book of Sirach offers the advice that our deeds which are performed with humility make the glory of God known to others. This wisdom literature cautions people to avoid the life style of the proud which is infected with an evil root. Father Larry Gillick, SJ finds traditional Jewish teaching in the text today that we need to remember who we are and who we are not. The danger of misunderstanding humility lies in the decision to hide ourselves and not venture into the world. This is not humility. It is seen by Father Larry as a prideful response which is centered in the declaration that I only have so many gifts to give and until God gives me more I will hide myself. The author of the letter to the Hebrews tries to bring us to the deeply unique mystery of relationship with God which is not based on fear and intrusion into a foreign place but is an invitation to come home. Our pride is often the barrier to accepting the invitation to participate in life as Luke shows in the Gospel today. When Jesus is invited to dine with the Pharisees on the Sabbath, He continues to offer us reversals of the deadly practices of privilege, power, position and pride. Father Larry offers the summary that humility is truth in action, generosity in public, and joyfulness in being invited. This gift is rooted in gratitude and expresses itself to others as the calmness and peace of a gently flowing stream. Our experience of our giftedness, the people in our lives for which we are so grateful and the joy of using our talent to enable the growth of others prepares us to accept the invitation into the Mystery which is seen and heard most clearly by the humble.
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