The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today emphasize the importance of humility in our journey toward truth, beauty and goodness.
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| Humbly Care for Creation |
Today is World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation and our opportunity to be humbled by both the beauty of our common home, the earth, and the need for an ecological conversion as we learn humility in the suffering we encounter in the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor.
The passage from the Book of Sirach shares the wisdom in humility.
* [3:17–24] Humility gives you a true estimate of yourself (vv. 17–20; cf. 10:28), so that you will do what should be done, and avoid what is beyond your understanding and strength (vv. 21–23). Intellectual pride, however, leads you astray (v. 24). Ben Sira is perhaps warning his students against the perils of Greek philosophy.1
Psalm 68 contains a call to praise God as savior.
At any rate, Ps 68:2 is based on Nm 10:35–36, and Ps 68:8–9 are derived from Jgs 5:4–5. The argument develops in nine stanzas (each of three to five poetic lines): 1. confidence that God will destroy Israel’s enemies (Ps 68:2–4); 2. call to praise God as savior (Ps 68:5–7); 3. God’s initial rescue of Israel from Egypt (Ps 68:8), the Sinai encounter (Ps 68:9), and the settlement in Canaan (Ps 68:10–11);2
In the reading from the Letter to the Hebrews the two covenants, of Moses and of Christ, are compared.
* [12:18–29] As a final appeal for adherence to Christian teaching, the two covenants, of Moses and of Christ, are compared. The Mosaic covenant, the author argues, is shown to have originated in fear of God and threats of divine punishment (Heb 12:18–21). The covenant in Christ gives us direct access to God (Heb 12:22), makes us members of the Christian community, God’s children, a sanctified people (Heb 12:23), who have Jesus as mediator to speak for us (Heb 12:24). Not to heed the voice of the risen Christ is a graver sin than the rejection of the word of Moses (Heb 12:25–26). Though Christians fall away, God’s kingdom in Christ will remain and his justice will punish those guilty of deserting it (Heb 12:28–29).3
The Gospel from Luke shares Jesus comment on the conduct of invited guests and hosts.
* [14:7–14] The banquet scene found only in Luke provides the opportunity for these teachings of Jesus on humility and presents a setting to display Luke’s interest in Jesus’ attitude toward the rich and the poor (see notes on Lk 4:18; 6:20–26; 12:13–34).4
Cindy Costanzo cites Father Andy Alexander who defines humility beautifully in a previously written reflection. (August 29, 2010 archives) “humility rarely just comes naturally. It is often born and nurtured in an environment of faith and respect for others, and, quite often, it has come from some suffering.” Consider a movie made from a non-fiction book Same Kind of Different as Me by Ron Hall. The major theme of the book/movie revolved around a millionaire art dealer Ron Hall who had made mistakes in his marriage, had lived a life of self-centeredness with a ‘blind eye’ toward others who were less fortunate.
life events, a new friendship with Denver and suffering with his wife’s death leads to a transformation in Ron Hall. This transformation includes a change in his focus, assumptions, how he spends his time and spends his money. His life has changed. I pray for myself and for others who suffer to recognize the value of humility in this experience of suffering and to have my/our hearts and eyes opened to learn, be humbled and to be changed.5
Don Schwager quotes “Jesus calls us to be humble, modest, and praiseworthy,” by Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD).
"'When,' he says, 'a man more honorable than you comes, he that invited you and him will say, 'Give this man place.' Oh, what great shame is there in having to do this! It is like a theft, so to speak, and the restitution of the stolen goods. He must restore what he has seized because he had no right to take it. The modest and praiseworthy person, who without fear of blame might have claimed the dignity of sitting among the foremost, does not seek it. He yields to others what might be called his own, that he may not even seem to be overcome by empty pride. Such a one shall receive honor as his due. He says, 'He shall hear him who invited him say, "Come up here."... If any one among you wants to be set above others, let him win it by the decree of heaven and be crowned by those honors that God bestows. Let him surpass the many by having the testimony of glorious virtues. The rule of virtue is a lowly mind that does not love boasting. It is humility. The blessed Paul also counted this worthy of all esteem. He writes to those who eagerly desire saintly pursuits, 'Love humility.'" (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 101.5)6
The Word Among Us Meditation from Luke 14:1, 7-14 reassures us there’s nothing wrong with family meals or neighborhood gatherings. Jesus loves seeing us come together and enjoy each other’s company. He even promised to be with us when “two or three are gathered” in his name (Matthew 18:20)! The problem comes when this is the only kind of interaction we have. He doesn’t want to see us trapped in the same closed loop that ensnared the people in today’s Gospel.
Jesus isn’t expecting you to throw open your doors and host a meal for any and all takers. But he is asking you to stretch out your hand a little more to the “poor” people around you. It could be a family from your parish or neighborhood who is struggling through unemployment. It could even be a wealthy neighbor who, now retired, lives alone and whose family never visits. You don’t even have to share a meal. All Jesus is asking for is your willingness to give without expecting anything in return. It’s what he does for you; now he is asking you to do the same.7
Friar Jude Winkler updates the origin of the text of the Book of Sirach. Living in Jesus humility draws us to a life of service. Friar Jude connects the Hebrew sacrifice of blood to healing of sin.
On this World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, Pope Francis shares a message and request for prayer.
Dan Horan, OFM, shares a comment on “Politics and economy in dialogue for human fulfillment” from his series "Understanding Laudato Si," about adopting the logic and wisdom of God in dealing with the ecological and social crisis in which we find ourselves.
Our surrender in the “global west and north is our growth”.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, quotes St Augustine of Hippo, Paul and Sr. Ilia Delio on how people who were satisfied with a very static universe, now we clearly see the universe is unfolding and expanding.
Evolution impels us to think of God as drawing the world from up ahead, attracting it into a new future. Process theology maintains that God is neither simply an impersonal order nor simply the individual person who creates the universe. Rather, God and world are in process together; the world continually participates in God and God in the world. God, who is the primordial ground of order, embodies within Godself the order of possibilities, the potential forms of relationship that are not chaotic but orderly even before they are actualized. Nothing less than a transcendent force, radically distinct from matter but also incarnate in it, could ultimately explain evolution. . . . God is distinct from the world yet essential to it, just as the world is essential to God. Apart from God there would be nothing new in the world and no order in the world. God influences the world without determining it. This influence is the lure of ideals to be actualized, the persuasive vision of the good; it contributes to the self creation of each entity. . . .8
In the universe connected by Christ, our mission to care for Creation is both a source of our humility and a challenge to serve the earth and the poor.
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