August 31, 2025
Luke 14:1, 7-14
Today’s readings place before us a treasure that is often overlooked in our world: the virtue of humility. Humility is perhaps one of the most misunderstood gifts in the Christian life. Many people today think that humility is weakness, that it makes us small, timid, or unimportant. Yet in the eyes of God, humility is not weakness but power – the power to see ourselves and others truthfully, the power to draw near to God without fear, the power to love without conditions.
In our first reading, the wise teacher Sirach tells us: “The greater you are, the more you must humble yourself” (Sirach 3:18). At the time this was written, just as in our own society today, greatness was measured by wealth, power, and social standing. But Sirach flips that upside down. True greatness, he says, is not climbing higher, but bowing lower – before God and before our neighbor.
Humility, then, is not about humiliation. It is about truth. The humble person knows: “Everything I am, and everything I have, comes from God.” That’s why St. Augustine said: “It was pride that changed angels into devils; it is humility that makes men into angels.”
Pride makes us believe we can live without God. Humility makes us acknowledge that we are nothing without Him – and that is the beginning of wisdom.
Think of our society today: nations race to prove their military might; businesses crush one another to be at the top; even ordinary people sometimes compete endlessly to show off their wealth, their beauty, or their achievements. Social media has made this worse – where many people live just to be “seen” or “liked.” But Sirach whispers to us: true greatness is not measured in likes, or medals, or riches. True greatness is bowing low — before God, and in kindness toward one another.
Our second reading reminds us of another truth: humility opens the door to God’s presence. At Mount Sinai, the people trembled with fear before God’s majesty. But through Christ, we are welcomed into the heavenly Jerusalem – not as slaves trembling before a master, but as beloved children welcomed into the Father’s home. And here is the point: only the humble can receive this gift. The proud heart thinks it can earn God’s love. The humble heart knows it can only receive. That is why Jesus says, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3).
When we are humble, we don’t come before God with bargaining power, but with empty hands. We don’t say: “Look at what I have done for you, Lord.” Instead, we say: “Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner.” And in that humility, God lifts us up. The Gospel paints humility in very practical terms. Jesus is invited to a banquet, and He notices how guests scramble for the best seats, the highest honors. Isn’t that still true today? Whether in politics, in business, in family, or even in church – how often do we see people fighting for recognition, for titles, for the “front seat”? But Jesus says: “When you are invited, go and sit at the lowest place” (Luke 14:10). Humility means not grabbing for honor, but waiting to be lifted by God. Then He goes even deeper: humility is not just about where we sit, but about whom we invite. He says: “When you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind” (Luke 14:13). In other words, humility expresses itself in generosity – in giving without expecting repayment, in serving those who cannot give us anything in return.
This is where humility meets love. Pride seeks recognition; humility seeks service. Pride asks: “What do I get?” Humility asks: “What can I give? My dear friends, humility is not abstract. It is practical. It is seen in everyday choices: In families: humility is saying, “I am sorry” when we are wrong, and “thank you” even for small acts of kindness. In workplaces: humility is respecting the cleaner, the driver, the watchman, just as we respect the manager or the boss. In society: humility is being less aggressive, less competitive, less obsessed with being number one, and more concerned with lifting others up. In church: humility is not scrambling for recognition, but serving quietly, faithfully, in ways that may never be seen.
St. Mother Teresa once said: “If you are humble, nothing will touch you, neither praise nor disgrace, because you know what you are.” And what are we? We are beloved children of God — nothing more, nothing less. And we have the perfect model: Jesus Christ Himself. As St. Paul tells us: “Though He was in the form of God, He did not regard equality with God as something to be grasped. Instead, He emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant” (Philippians 2:6-7). Jesus – the Son of God – was born in a manger, walked among sinners, washed the feet of His disciples, and died on a cross. That is humility. And it is this humility that saved the world.
So, how can we make humility the center of our faith journey? By remembering this: humility is not thinking less of ourselves, but thinking of ourselves less, so that we can think more of God and of others. If we embrace humility, we will stop trembling before God and start rejoicing in His presence. If we embrace humility, we will be less aggressive and more generous. If we embrace humility, we will create a community where no one is excluded, where all are welcomed, because that is how God has welcomed us. And one day, when the final banquet is ready in heaven, the Lord Himself will say to us: “Friend, come up higher.”
Luke 14:1, 7-14
One Sabbath, when Jesus went to eat in the house of a prominent Pharisee, he was being carefully watched. When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table, he told them this parable:
“When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this man your seat.’ Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all your fellow guests. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
Then Jesus said to his host, “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”
Meet Sister Elizabeth Sichangi, SNDdeN
