Be humble and generous

Aug 28^th , 16 Sunday homily –Fr.Francis Chirackal CMI

Sirach 3:17-18, 20,28-29; Heb 12:18-19, 22-24a; Lk 14:1,7-14

Tim Hansel, in "Eating Problems for Breakfast", tells the story of the famous inventor Samuel Morse who was once asked if he ever encountered situations where he didn't know what to do. Morse responded, "More than once, and whenever I could not see my way clearly, I knelt down and prayed to God for light and understanding." Morse received many honors from his invention of the telegraph but felt undeserving: "I have made a valuable application of electricity not because I was superior to other men but solely because God, who meant it for mankind, must reveal it to someone and He was pleased to reveal it to me." Today’s gospel, presents Jesus, who tells us to be humble in our thought and actions.

In the first reading from the book of Sirach, the old man advices to be humble as everything what we have is a gift of God. The second reading from the book of Hebrews, presents the two scenes of Old Covenant and New Covenant. In the gospel, Jesus, at dinner in the house of a leading Pharisee, counsels both the host and his guests about humility and generosity.

It was customary to invite the “visiting preacher,” in this case, Jesus, and other guests to dinner after the synagogue service. Jesus was very open in accepting the invitations from all categories of people. Jesus had many loving invitations and testing invitations. Some of the Pharisees invited him to have a closer look of his teachings and behavior, as they were always suspicious of Jesus' teachings and lifestyle. The words, “the people there were observing him carefully,” indicates that they were more interested in evaluating Jesus than eating dinner. The Pharisees had their purpose and Jesus had his goal related ones. Here he used the occasion to teach about humility and generosity, using accepted practices surrounding “formal dinners,” as examples of how not to behave. His teachings always had a superior meaning, which pointed towards the Kingdom of God and the means to enter it. In this context it teaches that a person’s real position, depends on God’s opinion of him or her, not on one’s own self-seeking. The verse shows that Jesus is teaching much more than social etiquette. From good manners at the table, he draws conclusions about the Kingdom.

The Pharisees thought that they were the upper crust in God’s kingdom. They were the most religious, pious and holy people they knew, and if anyone deserved places at God’s table, certainly it was them. They had developed an attitude of distinction, but in this Gospel reading, Jesus says of the true attitude, to be exalted in the Kingdom of God. We can imagine how the host and the competing guests felt when Jesus said these things to their face.

There is a subtle but significant implication. Jesus loves humility and hates pride. Jesus tells to avoid pride, vanity and self-assumed greatness and importance over others. He advises to practice concern and respect towards others with humble attitude. There are two kinds of prides good pride and bad pride. Good pride, is positive as it considers everything one has as the gift of God and has to use it for the glory of God and for the good of others. Bad pride, considers everything as the result of self-achievement and to be used for self-fulfillment. For a person of bad pride, self is greater and more important than everybody else and everything else. They make even false claims of achievements and greatness and present a pseudo personality to promote themselves over others. They do everything to promote self-importance and even use crooked means. They will always look for people around them who will praise them in return. This trend is as old as human history. So Jesus tells to practice sincere generosity and love in our actions. Truly humble people recognize their gifts and strengths as gifts from God and are willing to use them as God dictates. We are to use our talents as best we can since they are gifts from God and will benefit others as well as ourselves.

Let us look not only with the eyes, but also with our hearts, so that we can see wider and broader beyond the barriers. Let us be generous in our attitude and actions for the glory of God and for the good of others and ourselves. God will exalt us when the time comes. God bless you.