More Blessed and Exalted By God When We Live Humbly!
What a great reminder in mass this week with the Bible readings! Humility is how we need to live. Although not common today like the priest said, even frowned up as ambition and aggression and austerity seem to be the way today, we need to humble ourselves in all we do and in how we live! Live a lowly less presuming life, don't try to be first or sit at the head of the table, try to be always humble and less assuming! Like the readings speak about, God favors us more when we live a simple and humble life. Mother Teresa speaks a lot about this in he Book, Total Surrender too, to be humble and silent. You find more favor with God when you humble yourself. People do not need to know you have a Ph.D. or are a professor nor are Catholic or a Christian, we need to not only talk the talk, but walk the walk, and part of that walk is humility. Almost live like the poor, Mother Teresa spoke of this a great deal like Jesus did. Be poor, simple, humble, unassuming. Like is says in Hebrews below if we want to get into Heaven, we need to be humble and that is why I think we need to pray each day the Prayer to the Application to the Holy Spirit, there is nothing more important that making your aim in life to get into Heaven and spend eternity with God! The Gospel reading for this week also reinforces the other readings, never assuming or think you deserve to sit at the head of the table, sit and the lowest farthest seat, be humble, love God and His people, follow His teachings and commandments, be a good person and strive to get through the narrow gate to enter into Heaven by trusting and following in Him! Be meek and humble of heart like Jesus. We are more blessed in life when we live simple and humble lives for Christ!
Reading 1
and you will be loved more than a giver of gifts.
Humble yourself the more, the greater you are,
and you will find favor with God.
What is too sublime for you, seek not,
into things beyond your strength search not.
The mind of a sage appreciates proverbs,
and an attentive ear is the joy of the wise.
Water quenches a flaming fire,
and alms atone for sins.
Psalm 68:4-5, 6-7, 10-11
R. (cf. 11b) God, in your goodness, you have made a home for the poor.
The just rejoice and exult before God;
they are glad and rejoice.
Sing to God, chant praise to his name;
whose name is the LORD.
R. God, in your goodness, you have made a home for the poor.
The father of orphans and the defender of widows
is God in his holy dwelling.
God gives a home to the forsaken;
he leads forth prisoners to prosperity.
R. God, in your goodness, you have made a home for the poor.
A bountiful rain you showered down, O God, upon your inheritance;
you restored the land when it languished;
your flock settled in it;
in your goodness, O God, you provided it for the needy.
R. God, in your goodness, you have made a home for the poor.
Hebrews 12:18-19, 22-24a
Brothers and sisters:
You have not approached that which could be touched
and a blazing fire and gloomy darkness
and storm and a trumpet blast
and a voice speaking words such that those who heard
begged that no message be further addressed to them.
No, you have approached Mount Zion
and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem,
and countless angels in festal gathering,
and the assembly of the firstborn enrolled in heaven,
and God the judge of all,
and the spirits of the just made perfect,
and Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant,
and the sprinkled blood that speaks more eloquently than that of Abel.
Matthew 11:29ab
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Take my yoke upon you, says the Lord,
and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
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 every one 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."
Comments
Post a Comment
The Truth-God is Truth and Love