Philippians1:18b-26,
Psalm 42:2.3.5,
Luke 14:1.7-11 Full Readings
Saint Wolfgang of RegensburgLet Others Exalt You
Brethren, Shame is an emotion which only those who are well-off can afford; the destitute cannot afford it! Today’s gospel text teaches us about simple etiquette. Jesus tells us that no one takes honour upon himself, but other people, seeing how worthy and humble you are, give you the honour you deserve. It also speaks to us about how we understand positions of authority. You do not assume positions of authority because you feel your status should earn you such positions, we should wait a little and reflect, anyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and anyone who humbles himself will be exalted.
Jesus' parable of the guests invited to the marriage feast probes our motives for seeking honor and position. Self-promotion is most often achieved at the expense of others! Jesus' parable reinforces the teaching of Proverbs: ‘Do not give yourself airs, do not take a place among the great; better to be invited, ‘Come up here,’ than to be humiliated’ (Proverbs 25.6-7). At first sight this seems a merely worldly precaution, a false humility engineered to gain attention. However, it can be read also as an exhortation to have a true estimate of one’s own worth, a due humility. The final sentence introduces a new and vital idea: human honour and respect is of little value, for true honour comes only from God.
Jesus is inviting us today to have true humility. What is true humility and why should we make it a characteristic mark of our life and action? True humility is not feeling bad about yourself nor self abasement otherwise it becomes pretense, nor is having a low opinion of yourself, nor thinking of yourself as inferior to others. True humility frees us from preoccupation with ourselves, whereas a low self-opinion tends to focus our attention on ourselves. Humility is truth in self-understanding and truth in action, it is recognising who you are and behave and act accordingly to who you are. However, acting according to who we are also requires us to humble ourselves as servants not as masters. Viewing ourselves truthfully, with sober judgment, means seeing ourselves the way God sees us (Psalm 139:1-4). A humble person makes a realistic assessment of himself or herself without illusion or pretense to be something he or she is not. The humble regard themselves neither smaller nor larger than they truly are.
True humility frees us to be our true selves and to avoid despair and pride. A humble person does not have to wear a mask or put on a facade in order to look good to others, especially to those who are not really familiar with that person. The humble are not swayed by accidentals, such as fame, reputation, success, or failure.
With this humility, others will exalt us instead of us exalting ourselves. Jesus tells us to sit at the back when invited for a feast so that they will call us to our designated place, otherwise we shall be embarrassed, when we are told to leave where we have sat. What makes others exalt us is the ways we behave and relate with them in society. We have to understand that our positions are society based not on our self presumption. We may claim to have merited the position we have but without others and the society, they are nothing, so let us be humble.
True humility frees us to love and serve selflessly for the good of others. Humility is the queen or foundation of all the other virtues because it enables us to view and judge ourselves correctly, the way God sees us. Humility leads to true self-knowledge, honesty, realism, strength, and dedication to give ourselves to something greater than ourselves. Humility frees us to love and serve others selflessly, for their sake, rather than our own. Paul the Apostle, gives us the greatest example and model of humility in the person of Jesus Christ, who emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross (Philippians 2:7-8). The Lord Jesus gives grace - his abundant favor and help - to all who humbly seek him. Do you want to be a servant as Jesus served? Put on humility.
Away from helping to live in harmony in this world, Jesus today is also teaching us what we should do to please God and attain eternal life. For Luke a banquet is always an image of the heavenly banquet of the Lord. So the message is a moral one too: don’t think yourself better than you are. The message is also typical of Luke’s open and straightforward, businesslike approach. One is reminded of the Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax-collector at prayer, where the latter prays only ‘God be merciful to me, a sinner.’ A sinner after realising himself as a sinner, he repented and God justified him. Do you want to be forgiven and come back to God? Put on humility, and ask for repentance and come back to God.
Let us Pray
Lord Jesus, you became a servant for my sake to set me free from the tyranny of sin, selfishness, and conceit. Help me to be humble as you are humble and to love freely and graciously all whom you call me to serve. Amen
Be blessed
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