THE HUMBLE AT TABLE

In praise of humility, that is the ‘attitude’ of the first reading today, and the teaching of Jesus in the Gospel. Though the teaching is not new, the mood is never old. So Sirach reminds us to perform our tasks in humility; “Then you will be loved more than the giver of gifts...so you will find favour with God.” Humility is the secret of the wise.

Jesus sells out this wisdom at the banquet in the Pharisee’s house. It is the host who gives each guest his appropriate position at table. To avoid embarrassment and shame, each guest should humble himself, and allow the host to give the appropriate honour. Do not seek honour for yourself is the message. “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

We are all guests in this life. God is our Host. He gives us each according to his capacity (Mt 25:15). Who we are and much of those around us at table are gifts, and should be received as such: family, relations, friends, status, etc.  In humility we accept the truth of our lives, and not claim to be whom we are not. We should be meek, since our immediate future is not within our conscious determination.  This is how we enjoy the meal with the few around us at table.

In maze of life, we are often connected with very few people, no matter how popular one might think he or she is. How many people will be our relations, siblings, friends, colleagues, neighbours, etc?  Since we have few people with us at the table of life, humility must be our watch word. But God lifts us up, and widens our horizon.

Hence, our acts of charity, which germinates from our humility, cannot be restricted to the few as if we are still short-sighted. “...invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. You will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”

So our gaze is on the festal gathering in the heavenly Jerusalem, according to the second reading. The humble shall be gathered with Jesus, the Mediator, and with innumerable angels, with great confidence before God like first born in a family.

Like Mary, the humble shall be highly favoured, and the almighty will do great things for them.


Fr Jude C. Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R    
 Sunday, 28^th August 2016
St Mark’s Catholic Church,
Ohovbe, Benin City, Nigeria.