22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time 


Ecclesiasticus 3:19-21,​30-31

Psalm 67(68):4-7,10-11

Hebrews 12:18-19,​22-24a

Luke 14:1,​7-14


HUMILITY ATTRACTS FAVORS 


In this Sunday’s Gospel reading (Luke 14:1, 7-14), we witness a remarkable scene where Jesus finds Himself dining at the home of a prominent Pharisee. As He observes the guests jockeying for the best seats at the table, He powerfully illustrates a profound lesson through a captivating parable. The parable crescendos with an invitation that grabs our attention: “Rather, when you are invited, go and take the lowest place so that when the host comes to you he may say, ‘My friend, move up to a higher position.’ Then you will enjoy the esteem of your companions at the table. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”



Every time I immerse myself in these transformative words, I discover that Jesus isn't just talking about status; He’s unveiling the beautiful reality of being lifted! When we humble ourselves before God, acknowledging that we are unworthy of the immense love and mercy bestowed upon us through Jesus Christ, we create an opening for God’s boundless love and healing to surge through us. It’s not about ranking higher than others but being elevated by the grace of God! Holding onto pride only closes the door on the healing that awaits us.


In light of the ongoing tragedies, like yet another shocking incident where innocent children are harmed in a place of worship, the quest for status suddenly feels trivial, doesn’t it? Instead, we are called to take action and uplift those around us — just as we have experienced our own lifting! Jesus instructs us to extend invitations to “the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind,” welcoming them to the feast where He freely shares the gift of Himself.




To be exalted, spiritually, we must remain humble.  In the spiritual life we cannot use the  efforts of others as a substitute for our own.  We have to pursue the business of our own salvation with a ruthless sense of purpose, an urgent and deeply personal purpose.  We must always remember that the one to be saved is 'me', the real 'me', the 'me' that God sees and knows.  The fatal mistake is to pretend to be someone else. When we are queuing-up in purgatory, waiting to enter paradise, all false identities will be exposed and purged.  When you reach your place at the head of the queue, it is you, the one, single, real, and only 'you', to whom we hope the Lord will say: "Friend, come up higher".                              





Let us pray for the grace to embrace Christ’s mission with passion and purpose, trusting that God will elevate both our humble efforts and the hearts of those we reach. Together, we can spread the life-changing Good News of Jesus Christ!



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