20190901 HUMILITY IN
GIVING AND RECEIVING
01 SEPTEMBER,
2019, Sunday, 22nd Week, Ordinary Time
Readings at Mass
Liturgical Colour:
Green.
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First reading
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Ecclesiasticus
3:19-21,30-31 ©
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Behave humbly, and you will find favour
with the Lord
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My son, be gentle in carrying out your
business,
and you will be better loved
than a lavish giver.
The greater you are, the more you should
behave humbly,
and then you will find favour
with the Lord;
for great though the power of the Lord is,
he accepts the homage of the
humble.
There is no cure for the proud man’s
malady,
since an evil growth has taken
root in him.
The heart of a sensible man will reflect
on parables,
an attentive ear is the sage’s
dream.
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Responsorial Psalm
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Psalm 67(68):4-7,10-11 ©
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In your goodness, O God,
you prepared a home for the poor.
The just shall rejoice at the presence of
God,
they shall exult and dance for
joy.
O sing to the Lord, make music to his
name;
rejoice in the Lord, exult at
his presence.
In your goodness, O God,
you prepared a home for the poor.
Father of the orphan, defender of the
widow,
such is God in his holy place.
God gives the lonely a home to live in;
he leads the prisoners forth
into freedom:
In your goodness, O God,
you prepared a home for the poor.
You poured down, O God, a generous rain:
when your people were starved
you gave them new life.
It was there that your people found a
home,
prepared in your goodness, O
God, for the poor.
In your goodness, O God,
you prepared a home for the poor.
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Second reading
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Hebrews 12:18-19,22-24 ©
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You have come to Mount Zion and to the
city of the living God
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What you have come to is nothing known to
the senses: not a blazing fire, or a gloom turning to total darkness, or a
storm; or trumpeting thunder or the great voice speaking which made everyone
that heard it beg that no more should be said to them. But what you have come
to is Mount Zion and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem where
the millions of angels have gathered for the festival, with the whole Church in
which everyone is a ‘first-born son’ and a citizen of heaven. You have come to
God himself, the supreme Judge, and been placed with spirits of the saints who
have been made perfect; and to Jesus, the mediator who brings a new covenant
and a blood for purification which pleads more insistently than Abel’s.
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Gospel Acclamation
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Jn14:23
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Alleluia, alleluia!
If anyone loves me he will keep my word,
and my Father will love him,
and we shall come to him.
Alleluia!
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Or:
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Mt11:29
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Alleluia, alleluia!
Shoulder my yoke and learn from me,
says the Lord,
for I am gentle and humble in heart.
Alleluia!
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Gospel
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Luke 14:1,7-14 ©
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Everyone who exalts himself shall be
humbled
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On a sabbath day Jesus had gone for a meal
to the house of one of the leading Pharisees; and they watched him closely. He
then told the guests a parable, because he had noticed how they picked the
places of honour. He said this, ‘When someone invites you to a wedding feast,
do not take your seat in the place of honour. A more distinguished person than
you may have been invited, and the person who invited you both may come and
say, “Give up your place to this man.” And then, to your embarrassment, you
would have to go and take the lowest place. No; when you are a guest, make your
way to the lowest place and sit there, so that, when your host comes, he may
say, “My friend, move up higher.” In that way, everyone with you at the table
will see you honoured. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the
man who humbles himself will be exalted.’
Then
he said to his host, ‘When you give a lunch or a dinner, do not ask your
friends, brothers, relations or rich neighbours, for fear they repay your
courtesy by inviting you in return. No; when you have a party, invite the poor,
the crippled, the lame, the blind; that they cannot pay you back means that you
are fortunate, because repayment will be made to you when the virtuous rise
again.’
HUMILITY IN
GIVING AND RECEIVING
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [ Eccl 3:19-21, 30-31; Ps 68; Heb 12:18-19, 22-24; Lk 14:1.7-14 ]
“My son, be gentle in
carrying out your business, and you will be better loved than a lavish
giver.” The
words of Sirach in today’s first reading are thought-provoking because he
praises the man who is humble in his dealings with others as better than one
who is generous with his time and resources. Indeed, at the end of
the day, we do not remember what a person does for us per se, but we remember
how he or she made us feel good, worthy, respected and loved. It is the
good memory of our encounter with the person that will leave an imprint on our
hearts and in our minds rather than what the person actually did for us.
The truth is that even
in giving and helping others, some lack the genuine motive and personal touch
in rendering assistance.
Some give more for themselves than for those they intend to help. They
give so that they can be honoured and recognized. Otherwise why should
they want their names to be published and to be given credit? Indeed,
like the guests at a dinner the Lord noticed how the guests picked the places
of honour. This made Him remark, “When someone invites you to a wedding
feast, do not take your seat in the place of honour.” People are
egoistic. They want to be known and be seen as VIPs.
Of course, some give
more for “noble” publicity so that they can get more business and contacts. Some corporate organizations donate
to causes but demand publicity to be given, otherwise they will not give.
They want the company’s logo and photos to be featured on banners, displays and
magazines. This shows that their giving is not done for philanthropic and
humanistic reasons but as part of their marketing strategy to make their name
known. Such giving is not sincere. They give as much to receive and
sometimes they receive much more. That is what the Lord said to his host,
“When you give a lunch or a dinner, do not ask your friends, brothers,
relations or rich neighbours, for fear they repay your courtesy by inviting you
in return.” Rather, when we give, we must not expect anything in
return. Jesus said, “So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet
before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that
they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their
reward.” (Mt 6:2)
Indeed, Sirach warns us
of the dangers of pride. “There
is no cure for the proud man’s malady, since an evil growth has taken root in
him.” Pride is the cause of the downfall of every man. “Pride goes
before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” (Prov 16:18) When we are proud and
egoistic, we alienate ourselves from people. We want to distinguish
ourselves from others. We want people to put us on a pedestal. We
make ourselves and deceive ourselves into thinking that we are better than
others. We glorify ourselves in our riches, talents, positions and
power. So much so, we begin to believe that we are the best and we know
everything.
That is why pride is the
root of all rebellion.
Satan’s sin was to rebel against the authority and power of God. He
wanted to be God without submitting to the authority of God. And this is
the real downfall of humanity. Today, humanity has become arrogant and so
proud of himself because of the advancements he has made in science and
technology. He has sent spaceships to the moon and now to Mars. He
thinks the world’s problems can only be solved by his ingenuity and
intelligence. He does not need God. He has no respect for mystery
and is not aware of his limitations. This is the root of secularism and
humanism. New Age philosophy is even worse than secularism because they
proclaim themselves as gods. There is no God because they are the
manifestation of God. So God has left man to himself and humanity is destined
for destruction because of his pride, arrogance and false autonomy.
In contrast, the key to
wisdom and love is humility.
This is what Sirach counsels us. “The heart of a sensible man will
reflect on parables, an attentive ear is the sage’s dream.” Those with a humble
heart are always willing to listen and to learn from God and from others.
He knows that he is limited in knowledge and understanding. Indeed, a
good leader is always ready to listen to advice, seek counsel and receptive of
people’s ideas and constructive feedback. He is not defensive or
argumentative. But he takes all the different opinions and tries to
consider the best option.
What is the key to
humility in life, in giving and in receiving? Firstly, we must realize
that in the eyes of God, we are all equal in dignity even though not equal in
talents and resources. The
second reading from Hebrews says, “what you have come to is Mount Zion and the
city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem where the millions of angels
have gathered for the festival, with the whole Church in which everyone is a
‘first-born son’ and a citizen of heaven.” We are all first-born
sons/daughters of God in heaven. God sees us as His sons and
daughters. In heaven and even on earth, God does not see us differently.
High or low, big or small, rich or poor, beautiful or ugly are the measures of
man. But God sees our heart and our dignity as His children. Of
course, we cannot see that yet simply because we are ignorant and not yet
perfected. The author of Hebrews writes, “You have come to God himself,
the supreme Judge, and been placed with spirits of the saints who have been
made perfect; and to Jesus, the mediator who brings a new covenant.”
A humble recognition
that all of us are God’s children, equal in every way, will help us to
appreciate those who are less privileged than us, and be humble and grateful
for what we have. Sirach
says, “The greater you are, the more you should behave humbly, and then you
will find favour with the Lord; for great though the power of the Lord is, he
accepts the homage of the humble.” Indeed, why should we be proud
of ourselves simply because we are wealthy, influential and powerful when all
we have and is due to the generosity and mercy of God. Just hard work
alone will not bring us to where we are today if not for the many people and
opportunities the Lord has provided for us. For this reason, the more we
have, the wealthier and more influential we are, the humbler we should become,
for as Mary would say, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in
God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his
servant.” Indeed, without God’s favour, we are nothing. So
there is nothing to boast about except God’s mercy. “Let the one who boasts,
boast in the Lord. For it is not those who commend
themselves that are approved, but those whom the Lord commends.” (2 Cor 10:17f)
When we recognize that
we are one with our fellowmen, that we are all recipients of God’s love and
mercy for each other, then we no longer separate ourselves from others, rich or
poor. The psalmist
says, “You poured down, O God, a generous rain: when your people were starved
you gave them new life. It was there that your people found a home,
prepared in your goodness, O God, for the poor.” Having received all from
God, Jesus reminds us that we must treat each other with respect and love
regardless of their state and position in life. Hence, He said, “When you
have a party, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; that they
cannot pay you back means that you are fortunate, because repayment will be
made to you when the virtuous rise again.”
In truth, both the poor
and the rich are meant for the salvation of each other. In reality no one
in the eyes of God is poorer or richer except in the capacity of the heart. The poor are given to us for our
salvation because they teach us generosity, compassion and keep our hearts
connected with God and humanity. The poor give us a joy and freedom that
money cannot buy, nor material success and pleasures can give. If God
allows the poor and the sick on this earth, it is for the sake of our
salvation. The rich receive from the poor because the poor receive as much
from the rich. When they are helped by those who can afford, they
encounter God’s love and mercy; and come to believe in God’s love for them.
They too are saved by our love and generosity.
So when we give or share
our resources with others, we must always remain humble in service and
generosity. The
psalmist says, “The just shall rejoice at the presence of God, they shall exult
and dance for joy. O sing to the Lord, make music to his name; rejoice in the
Lord, exult at his presence. Father of the orphan, defender
of the widow, such is God in his holy place. God gives the lonely a home to
live in; he leads the prisoners forth into freedom.” We are simply agents
and dispensers of God’s love and mercy to our brothers and sisters, whether we
are poor or rich, ordinary or distinguished person in society. But one
thing is clear, “From everyone to whom much has been given, much
will be required; and from the one to whom much has been entrusted, even more
will be demanded.” (Lk 12:48)
Humility means that we
allow God to decide where we should be placed in life. It is not our choice to be where we are or
who we are but we can be sure that wherever He places us in life, it is always
the right place for a good reason. We must be humble in accepting God’s
plan for us, just as Mary was in being the humble handmaid of the Lord, and
Elizabeth who accepted to be the mother of the forerunner to the Messiah rather
than the mother of the Messiah herself. And like Elizabeth, we should
also rejoice with those who are apparently more privileged than us as she said
to Mary, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me?
For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped
for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment
of what was spoken to her by the Lord.” (Lk 1:42-45)
Written
by The Most Rev William Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All
Rights Reserved
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