Homily Twenty-Second Sunday Year C
Learn From Me
For I am Meek and Humble of Heart
Fr. Udoekpo, Michael Ufok
§ Sir 3:17-18, 20, 28-29;
§ Ps 68:4-7, 10-11’
§ Heb 12:18-19, 22-24a
§ Luke 14:1, 7-14
“For everyone who exalts himself (or herself)
will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted,” (Luke
14:11).These words of Jesus underline the common thread of call for humility
that runs through the Bible Lessons of today.
Even the author of
Ecclesiasticus, Ben Sira, a wise man, lover of God, and an experienced observer
of life, who lived thousands of years ago in Jerusalem recommended humility for
his contemporaries. He says “my child, conduct your affairs with humility
and you will be loved more than a giver of gift. And the more you humble
yourself, the greater you are, and the more you find favor with God,” (Sir
17-18). For Ben Sira, humility is not different from the fear of the Lord; it
is not different from modesty and meekness. In fact most often the Hebrew word anawa
can also be used in the sense of modesty and meekness of life.
In fact arrogance,
especially a bad type can lead to so many things. It can lead us to disregard
God and things that are sacred. It leads us to commit injustices, loose our
patience very easily, disrespect others or trample upon those we think and
imagine, are weaker than us, or we are better than! This why in Zephaniah 2:3,
the text I wrote my doctoral dissertation on, humility is parallel to acts of
social justice, righteousness and obedience to God. The texts says, “seek the
Lord (baqqash adonay), all you humble of the land (kol anawa
ha-arrets), who observed the law, seek righteousness (baqqash saddiq),
and seek humility ( baqqash anawa).
In other words,
Ben Sira recommends that in our daily lives we should cultivates the
virtues of patience, modesty docility, meekness, awareness of one’s
limitations, respect for one another, love of one another, and above all we
should always rely upon the grace of God, no matter our gifts , education,
talents and positions. One who possesses humility is greater than “the giver of
gifts.”
There is a story
of a poor beggar who sits out in a village street in some parts of Africa,
asking passers-by for bread and gifts.. In this culture, gifts are often given
and received with right hands. One day a very rich man who was returning from
the market walked by this hungry poor beggar. He offered the beggar a fat loaf
of bread with money equivalent to our one dollar bill. But he did this with his
left which is a sign of disrespect to another human being in this culture. To
the greatest shock of this arrogant rich man, the poor hungry beggar rejected
his gifts. But was kind enough to instruct the rich man to offer him the gifts
properly with his right hand! The point here is
that it is humility that enables us to respect the dignity of every human
person, poor, rich, men, women and children, and even to be aware of ourselves
or at least remember to look at ourselves on the mirror.
Humility enables
us to love our neighbors. Think of the humility of love that Christ has first
humbly loved us with. He washed the feet of his disciples. He reached out to
the unreachable and touched the untouchables. Even to the cross as a mediator
of the new covenant, the blood of Christ, as stated in the second reading (Heb
12:18-19, 22-24a), “Speaks more eloquently than that of Abel.” Christ went to
Cross freely. He went the Cross humbly like a lamb. He went there because he
loves us.
Even before Christ
went to the cross, he taught humility, modesty, charity, generosity and respect
to the dignity of every human person, wherever, and when he had the opportunity
to do so. The parable at the dinner party in today’s Gospel (Luke 14:1,
7-14) is one of those occasions. It was in the home of one of the Pharisees,
elite of his time and probably a very wealthy man too. Jesus uses this
occasions not to “play nice,” or “lobby” the Pharisees, but to instruct every
one of the truth: that when you are invited to a party take the lowest place so
that you might be elevated and not vise verse. Again, those who organize theses
parties should always extend their invitation and generosity to others
including the poor, the crippled, the lame, the beggars, and the blind.
This might
sound very difficult to understand in today’s world of unhealthy competitions
and rivalries, segregation, discrimination, racism and marginalization of the
weak. Today many of us do things expecting a pay back in return. How do I
invite strangers to my home would be the questions, modern minds would ask?
An arrogant,
me-first lifestyle, my story, my story, my story always, (not my neighbors’
story) is not a life style of the kingdom of God. True members of the kingdom
must take their yoke upon them and be able to learn from Christ, who is meek
and humble of heart( Matt 11:29ab), “for every one who exalts himself (herself)
will be humbled, and the ones who humble themselves will be
exalted,”(Luke 14:11).
Reflection
Questions
1.
What have we learned from today’s readings?
2.
Are we humble in the manner of Christ?
3.
What prevents us from encouraging our neighbors to live a
modest life style?
22nd Sunday of Year C
The Virtue of Humility
§ Sirach 3:17-18,20,28-29
§ Ps 68:4-5,6-7,10-11
§ Heb 12:18-19,22-24a
§ Luke 14:1,7-14
Today we live in a world of “the winner takes it
all.” A world where the rich look down on the poor. A world where
we like to compare ourselves with others. Some feel superior or holier
than others. While others feel inferior or less than others. Any of us can
easily fall into this trap of arrogance, putting ourselves above others, or entertaining
a poor or inferior self-image of ourselves. All three readings plus the
responsorial Psalm of today(" God in your goodness, you have made a
home for the poor,") invite us to avoid such mistakes and rather
joyfully embrace, the beatitude, a humble and positive behavior
in daily life.
In the 1st reading, from the Book of
Sirach, though written more than a Hundred Years before Christ, we are reminded
of what usually and really counts in life; namely; the wisdom of humility
wherever we are and in whatever we do. 200 years before Christ,
Sirach said, “My child, conduct your affairs with humility, and you will be
love more than a giver of gifts. Humble yourself the more, the greater you are,
and you will find favor with God.” This was true then, 200 years before Christ.
This is still true today. Truly, humility is a spiritual disposition
towards God. It is an attitude of bending before God, submitting our will to
embrace God’s will in our dealings with our neighbors
But notice that the 1st reading is
not recommending that we make ourselves stupid before others. No, our daily
life should reflects our interior disposition towards God, displayed in
gentleness, simplicity, generosity, kindness and compassion towards our
neighbors, superiors, family members, fellow workers, and friends, even towards
those who seem difficult to us. Even the gifts we give to the poor, the
preaching we preach, to our congregations, the teaching we teach to our
students, the counseling we counsel, the leading we lead , the work
we do, the administration we administer to our subjects the Christianity
we live should all be done with humility and meekness. The corporal works of
mercy: (feeding the hungry, providing water for the thirty, clothing the naked,
visiting those in prison, burying the dead) we practice in this Year of
Mercy, inaugurated by Pope Francis, should be practiced with humility and
compassion. Doesn’t Christ say in today’s alleluia verse, Matthew 11:29a “take
my yoke upon you… learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart?”
Humility is not a weakness. Rather, it is a
strength in rightly taking one’s place before God. That is, in mount
Zion, spoken of in today’s 2nd reading, the Letter to the Hebrews.
Those who practice the virtue of humility will see God, will be exalted, and
will find a place in God’s Kingdom, in Mount Zion, the New Heavenly Jerusalem.
Those who exalt themselves will be humbled, those who humble themselves will be
exalted in Jerusalem! This has been the case 200 years before Christ.
Christ makes this clearer in the parable of the
invited guest in today’s gospel (Luke 14:1, 7-14). He reminds the Pharisees
that when you are invited for a dinner or wedding party, it’s better not to
hurry to take the front seat. Wait humbly behind until you are seated in your
rightful place to avoid embarrassment. Do we wait for our rightly place with
patient, with humility? The kingdom of God we must realize is also opened
to everyone, the rich, the poor the crippled, the lame, the blind—and those we
thought were insignificant. Do we consider our neighbors, especially the
poor, co-members and partakers of the kingdom of God. Or do we think that I
alone, or you alone have the monopoly of the kingdom?
Of course, it is not so much whether we are physically
behind or in front at wedding or dinner parties. Rather, the message is that in
life, wherever we are, live, work, serve, teach, lead, preach, minister, even
in our families, we should conduct ourselves wisely with grace, joy and
humility. No need for inordinate comparison of ourselves with others. Our
Blessed Mother Mary, who said to the Angel, Be it done to me according to your
words, should also be our model of humility in our dealings with our neighbors.
Reflection
Questions
1.
What have we learned from today’s readings?
2.
Are we humble in the manner of Christ?
3.
What prevents us from encouraging our neighbors to live a
modest life style?
