Conduct ourselves with humility

WORD OF FAITH: A breakdown of each week's upcoming Sunday readings to better understand the Word of God at Mass.

Rather, when you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you. — Luke 14:13-14

In the spiritual classic, “Introduction to the Devout Life,” St. Francis de Sales writes, “Assuredly nothing can so humble us before the compassion of God as the abundance of His mercies; nothing so humble us before His justice as the abundance of our misdeeds. Let us reflect upon all He has done for us, and all we have done against Him; and as we count over our sins in detail, even so let us count over His mercies.” St. Francis de Sales exhorts us to a life of reflection, which leads us to a greater self-knowledge. Self-knowledge leads to self-possession and self-possession leads to greater self-awareness, which is necessary for living the devout life. 

In the First Reading from the Book of Sirach (3:17-18, 20, 28-29), on the Twenty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, the author calls upon the faithful to possess a greater sense of self-knowledge through living a life of humility. “My child conduct your affairs with humility, and you will be loved more than a giver of gifts.” (Sir. 3:17) Humility enables the faithful person to avoid pride and arrogance and thus appreciate the gift of mercy which comes from recognizing the need for God in our lives. “Humble yourself the more, the greater you are, and you will find favor with God.” (Sir. 3:18)   

Jesus provides us with the greatest example of one who is great, humbling himself by mounting the cross. As a guest of one of the leading Pharisees, as told in the Gospel of Luke 14:1, 7-14, Jesus uses the dinner as an opportunity to point out how the Pharisees and other leading members of the community, who are guests, choose places of honor and exaltation rather than humbling themselves in the sight of God and their neighbors. 

He offers a parable, commenting on the behavior of the religious authorities who are more concerned with their positions of honor than their responsibility to care pastorally for the poor of Israel. The Parable of the Invited Guest illustrates how the guests were seeking places of honor at the table, rather than being thankful that they had been invited at all. Their arrogant behavior reveals their lack of gratitude and humility as invited guests. The parable exhorts the guests to humble themselves rather than seeking honor and glory, “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 14:14)

As the Church we are continually reminded in the Scriptures that we are to conduct our affairs with humility. St. Paul echoes this same sentiment in Acts 20:35, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” St. Paul is speaking to the elders in Ephesus about their behavior, that they need to be more on the side of giving than on the side of receiving, which is a true act of humility.  

The Second Reading from Hebrews 12:18-19, 22-24 tells us this gift of humility is a sign of the new covenant in Christ; it allows us to do extraordinary things such as encounter the transcendent because we have humbled ourselves in the sight of God. The passage tells of two great assemblies: the Israelites assembled at Mount Sinai for the receiving of the Ten Commandments (The Law) and the gathering of the faithful for the eternal heavenly banquet where Jesus, as the host, presides as the eternal high priest. “You have approached Mount Zion and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and countless angels in festal gathering, and assembly of the firstborn enrolled in heaven, and God as the judge of all.” Heb. (12:22-23) 

Those who have conducted themselves in humility will join in the great assembly in the heavenly Jerusalem. Through Jesus’ own humbling himself on the cross, he has made a home for the poor, those who recognize their need for Jesus Christ in their lives. The responsorial Psalm 68 captures this most succinctly, “God, in your goodness, you have made a home for the poor.