22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time – Luke 14:1, 7–14
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
In this Sunday’s Gospel, we find Jesus dining at the house of a Pharisee, where He observes the guests scrambling or looking for places of honor at the table. As He so often does, Jesus takes a common situation and reveals a deeper spiritual truth:
“For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
This short but powerful verse challenges the spirit of pride that can quietly take root in each of us. Our world often tells us to seek recognition, to assert ourselves, to climb higher—whether in our careers, our social circles, or even within the Church. But Jesus flips this script. In the kingdom of God, greatness is not measured by status, title, or applause, but by humility, self-giving, and the ability to put others before ourselves.
Notice how Jesus doesn’t simply criticize pride; He invites us to a new way of living. He teaches us to take the lower place not out of false modesty, but in sincere recognition that all we have is gift, and that we are all guests at the table of God’s mercy. He encourages us to invite “the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind”—those who cannot repay us—because in doing so, we imitate the generous heart of our Heavenly Father.
“Humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less. Humility is thinking more of others.” (Rick Warren, The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For?)
As we reflect on this Gospel, I encourage you to ponder:
In what areas of my life am I seeking recognition or status instead of quietly serving with love?
Who is someone I can invite into my life or my home, not for what they can give me, but simply out of love?
Let’s read what St. Paul says to Philippians 2:1-11 and to our Parish Family on imitating Christ’s humility – our Role Model.
May we follow Christ, who humbled Himself to walk among us, so that we might one day be exalted with Him.