MY daily reflection and prayer:
Sunday, August 28, 2016
Twenty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
Dear my friends,
Here is the Gospel for us today according to St. Luke 14: 1, 7-14
On a sabbath Jesus went to dine at the home of one of the leading Pharisees, and the people there were observing him carefully. He told a parable to those who had been invited, noticing how they were choosing the places of honor at the table.
“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, 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. 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.”
Then he said to the host who invited him, “When you hold a lunch or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or your wealthy neighbors, in case they may invite you back and you have repayment. Rather, when you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”
This is the Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ.
***
IN Jesus’ parable of today’s Gospel reading, we are reminded that we are not as holy and good as we thought we were. Jesus warns us on the important humility and generosity. Humility and generosity are essential virtues for any true Christian.
First, we have to humble ourselves so we will be exalted. Don’t assume our importance by sitting in the seat of honor on our own initiative.
We should seek the true reward of lasting happiness that comes from living in friendship with God by practicing the virtue of humility. Only the humble can have authentic friendships. We should put ourselves in the lowest place by serving others while we can, so that we can be lifted higher later.
Living humility may be difficult sometimes because of our natural tendency to be self-centered, “to look out for being the number one.” Nonetheless, Jesus teaches that living humility is the gateway to the road that leads to happiness.
And the second, Jesus teaches us about generosity. Don’t give our generosity just to people who can pay us back. If we are generous and seeking to serve God only instead of our own ambition, then we leave the reward up to God. He will give us the place in his plan that is best for us.
He will reward our generosity by offering us the road to greater holiness. It means that he will reveal our weaknesses to us and challenge us to be better. God’s reward is always better than what the world can offer because he promises everlasting life and the joy of heaven.
In the Perpetual Adoration of the Eucharist in fact we learn to be humble by adoring Jesus Christ. There we give him the first place in our lives and really listen to his invitation to conquer our defects and grow in sanctity. Do we give him the first place in our life?
Let’s pray: Lord Jesus Christ, you will lift us up to true fulfillment only if we get down from our own ivory tower of egotism. You clearly tells us that it’s so good, we should strive not to be rewarded in this life. Help us to trust in you completely, not seeking ourselves, but doing our best to serve you with humility and generosity now and forever. Amen.
Kredit foto: Ilustrasi (Ist)
