Sept. 1, 2019: 22nd Sunday C
Sept. 1, 2019: 22nd Sunday C
There is a place here in Baton Rouge that serves up some of the best ingredients from the local restaurants, groceries, and catering establishments. Usually, there is a long line for the meal of the day, but everyone gets a seat and is served a delicious meal. No one has to pay for their meal, however, they must listen to the word of God and offer a thanksgiving prayer before eating. The cooks don’t have any culinary degrees, but they have workers who have dedicated their gifts and talents in serving God by serving their fellow men. Mother Teresa’s sisters prepare the meal from whatever food was donated to them. They don’t worry about what to serve; the ingredients somehow show up by their door. Whether it’s jambalaya from a church function, steaks from a conference, or fried fish from a school event, the sisters and the volunteers know how to cook up a delicious meal. All are welcome to the table, whether you’re down and out for a while or just transitioning temporarily.
One day a parishioner was serving food, and one of the guests called her by name. When the parishioner looked up, she could hardly recognize the face. The person was an LSU professor who was living on the streets because of gambling addiction. How difficult it must have been for the professor to stare into the eyes of a person who reminded him of his former respectable and comfortable life. I can only imagine that he pondered how his life went from honor to shame because he gave in to his disordered appetite.
Such a reversal of fortune is a reminder that a disciple of Jesus always needs to practice the virtue of humility no matter what earthly honors or wealth one has. There is a natural appetite in us to seek honor and glory. However, this natural appetite can become disordered when we forget that everything is a gift from God. Our talents and resources are not our possessions but gifts from God. The moment we begin to dwell on a belief that somehow we are solely instrumental in gaining glory and wealth, we begin to fear the possibility that we might lose them one day. This fear then drives us to ambition which is a disordered desire to look for honor, to exercise authority, or have a position that is in some way superior. Knowing our tendency to fear and to be ambitious, Our Lord instructed his disciples to always humble oneself to be like a servant. “When you’re invited, go and take the lowest place… For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” Practicing humility means that we strive to be content to be who, where, and what God asks of us today, and nothing more.
Jesus used the image of oxen yoked together to teach us what true humility is about. In order to pull a heavy cart or a tilling instrument, oxen are yoked together which gives them greater strength to do the work. Jesus is inviting us to be yoked with him to do his Father’s will, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart.” To be yoked with Jesus means that we humbly submit to him our stubborn hearts, our passions, and worldly ambitions. Our pride resists serving others. Yet recall that while Jesus was on earth, he who is the creator of the Universe and the King of kings, took the form of a slave and washed the feet of his disciples. He instructed, “I have given you an example so that you may do what I have done. The disciple is not greater than the Master… If you understand this, happy are you if you put them into practice.”
Many of us pray for the grace of humility from God, but in order to be humbled, humiliation is necessary. Mother Teresa said, “If you are humble nothing will touch you, neither praise nor disgrace, because you know what you are. If you are blamed you will not be discouraged. If they call you a saint you will not put yourself on a pedestal.” Humility allows us to see our brothers and sisters who are less fortunate than us on an equal footing. Therefore, we can see them through the meek and merciful heart of Jesus rather than our selfish us-versus-them attitude. We should pray every day, for the grace for our heart to be humbled, “O Jesus, gentle and humble of heart, make my heart like Yours!”
One day a parishioner was serving food, and one of the guests called her by name. When the parishioner looked up, she could hardly recognize the face. The person was an LSU professor who was living on the streets because of gambling addiction. How difficult it must have been for the professor to stare into the eyes of a person who reminded him of his former respectable and comfortable life. I can only imagine that he pondered how his life went from honor to shame because he gave in to his disordered appetite.
Such a reversal of fortune is a reminder that a disciple of Jesus always needs to practice the virtue of humility no matter what earthly honors or wealth one has. There is a natural appetite in us to seek honor and glory. However, this natural appetite can become disordered when we forget that everything is a gift from God. Our talents and resources are not our possessions but gifts from God. The moment we begin to dwell on a belief that somehow we are solely instrumental in gaining glory and wealth, we begin to fear the possibility that we might lose them one day. This fear then drives us to ambition which is a disordered desire to look for honor, to exercise authority, or have a position that is in some way superior. Knowing our tendency to fear and to be ambitious, Our Lord instructed his disciples to always humble oneself to be like a servant. “When you’re invited, go and take the lowest place… For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” Practicing humility means that we strive to be content to be who, where, and what God asks of us today, and nothing more.
Jesus used the image of oxen yoked together to teach us what true humility is about. In order to pull a heavy cart or a tilling instrument, oxen are yoked together which gives them greater strength to do the work. Jesus is inviting us to be yoked with him to do his Father’s will, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart.” To be yoked with Jesus means that we humbly submit to him our stubborn hearts, our passions, and worldly ambitions. Our pride resists serving others. Yet recall that while Jesus was on earth, he who is the creator of the Universe and the King of kings, took the form of a slave and washed the feet of his disciples. He instructed, “I have given you an example so that you may do what I have done. The disciple is not greater than the Master… If you understand this, happy are you if you put them into practice.”
