The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to humble and honest assessment of our progress in thinking of ourselves and our preferences less as we encounter others on our journey.
The reading from the Book of Sirach emphasizes the virtue of 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. (Sirach, CHAPTER 3, n.d.)
Psalm 68 offers Praise and Thanksgiving to God
* [Psalm 68] The Psalm is extremely difficult because the Hebrew text is badly preserved and the ceremony that it describes is uncertain. The translation assumes the Psalm accompanied the early autumn Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkoth), which included a procession of the tribes (Ps 68:25–28). Israel was being oppressed by a foreign power, perhaps Egypt (Ps 68:31–32)—unless Egypt stands for any oppressor. The Psalm may have been composed from segments of ancient poems, which would explain why the transitions are implied rather than explicitly stated. 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. (Psalms, PSALM 68, n.d.)
The reading from the Letter to the Hebrews compares the Mosaic Covenant and the Covenant of Christ.
* [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). (Hebrews, CHAPTER 12, n.d.)
In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus teaches humility and hospitality in 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). (Luke, CHAPTER 14, n.d.)
Susan Naatz comments that forming relationships between people in a first world nation and a developing nation gives us an opportunity to accept challenge. Pope Francis agrees:
In the present condition of global society, where injustices abound and growing numbers of people are deprived of basic human rights and considered expendable, the principle of the common good immediately becomes, logically and inevitably, a summons to solidarity and a preferential option for the poorest of our brothers and sisters…it demands before all else an appreciation of the immense dignity of the poor in the light of our deepest convictions as believers. [Pope Francis, On Care for Our Common Home [Laudato Si'], no. 158]
The indigenous people and families in Guatemala have given back to us a thousand-fold as they have kindly and patiently taken us into their homes and taught us the meaning of authentic community and the common good. They have shown us that there are no higher or lower places at their table, there is always room for everyone. (Creighton U. Daily Reflection, n.d.)
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) (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on Luke 14:1, 7-14 comments that humility isn’t thinking less of yourself; it’s thinking of yourself less. That’s what both Sirach and Jesus tell us in today’s readings.
Perhaps you are tempted to think that a humble person is someone who lets other people walk all over them. And who wants to be like that? The truth is, true humility requires great strength. Choosing to put other people ahead of yourself goes against a lot of ingrained habits and self-interest. But it will make you free to love the people around you. And you’ll find that this kind of love opens up a curious dynamic: the more you give it away, the more it comes back to you.
“Jesus, help me be humble as you were. I want to be free to choose the lowest place.” (Meditation on Luke 14:1, 7-14, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler echoes the call of Sirach for humility over boasting but serving others considering them greater than ourselves. Kill arrogance with humility. Sin is selfishness and charity heals the wound. Friar Jude reminds us that we are most in the image of Christ when we are in humble service to others.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, comments that for those of us who grew up as Christians, we may have heard the parable of The Weeds and the Wheat when we were younger. We may have been told to pull out the imperfect weeds and get rid of our faults. But since we really couldn’t get rid of them, we covered them up and pretended we didn’t have them. And that just doesn’t work.
To accept this teaching doesn’t mean we can say, “It’s okay to be selfish, violent, and evil.” It simply means that we have some realism about ourselves and each other. We have to name the weed as a weed. We can’t just pretend it’s all wheat, all good, because it isn’t. We’re not perfect. Our countries are not perfect. The Church is not perfect. The project of learning how to love—which is our only life project—is quite simply learning to accept this. If you really love anybody, and I hope you all do, then you have learned to accept a person despite, and sometimes even because of, their faults.
What love means is to say, “I know your faults, I see your weeds, and I care for you anyway.” Only God’s heart, only the mind of Christ in us, really and fully knows how to do that. (Rohr, n.d.)
We pray for the help of the Spirit to address the consequences in the lives of people on our journey of pride and privilege that ignores the needs of less fortunate brothers and sisters in Christ.
References
Creighton U. Daily Reflection. (n.d.). Online Ministries. Retrieved August 28, 2022, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/082822.html
Hebrews, CHAPTER 12. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved August 28, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/hebrews/12?18
Luke, CHAPTER 14. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved August 28, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/14?1
Meditation on Luke 14:1, 7-14. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved August 28, 2022, from https://wau.org/meditations/2022/08/28/476604/
Psalms, PSALM 68. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved August 28, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/68?4
Rohr, R. (n.d.). Daily Meditations — Center for Action and Contemplation. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved August 28, 2022, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/
Schwager, D. (n.d.). He Who Exalts Himself Will Be Humbled. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved August 28, 2022, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2022&date=aug28
Sirach, CHAPTER 3. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved August 28, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/sirach/3?17
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