11/4/2023 (Saturday) Today’s gospel reading: Luke 14:1, 7-11
1 On a sabbath Jesus went to dine at the home of one of the leading Pharisees, and the people there were observing him carefully.
7 He told a parable to those who had been invited, noticing how they were choosing the places of honor at the table.
8 “When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not recline at table in the place of honor. A more distinguished guest than you may have been invited by him,
9 and the host who invited both of you may approach you and say, ‘Give your place to this man,’ and then you would proceed with embarrassment to take the lowest place.
10 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.
11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
11/4/2023 (Saturday) Today’s gospel reflection / sermon / homily: Luke 14:1, 7-11
In this world of self-promotion to gain advantage over the others, the gospel passage above is a timely reminder of our rightful place under the sun. No matter how high we go or how powerful we become so that the “place of honor” is always reserved for us, we must always remember that our worth as a human being is not based on worldly standard but on the fact that God created us and therefore we are His children. As soon as we are aware of this fact, we will be truly humble knowing that without God in our life, we are nothing. Moreover, when we accept the fact that whatever possession or position we have is a gift from God, then we will know how to use them to serve others rather than to make others look up to us and we look down to them.
While Jesus is warning us against giving too much attention to self-importance and feelings of superiority over others, it is necessary to know that Jesus came to liberate us from all forms of oppression so that we can have life to the full (John 10:10). Hence, giving in to feelings of despair due lack of self-esteem and even feeling inferior to others is not humility at all. In other words, superiority and inferiority complexes have no place in Christian life.
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