The mind of a sage appreciates proverbs, and an attentive ear is the wise man’s joy. – Sirach 3:28

       What recurring messages are being given to you? Maybe you are being asked to step up, to be healthier, to serve more, to reach out to someone. My father was being given a message as he struggled with his advancing age. From the eyes of my mom, her 70-year-old husband wasn’t as strong as before. When he made his usual uphill walk to our home in Baguio, he was short of breath.

         My mom knew that something was changing in the body of her aging husband. So she told Dad, “Tony, you should see the doctor.” My father retorted, “I am a doctor. I know better.”

          Then one day, my father missed a step and fell from the stairs. Mom called our family friend, Doc Sabrina, a young doctor whom we had known since she was a little girl.

          After examining Dad, Doc Sabrina said, “Tito, you should see the doctor.” This time, Dad heeded. Same message, different response.

         Sometimes in our life, we are given a message that we refuse to listen to. But every message has a purpose. Our Lord continues to send us messages in various forms. He knows what is best for us, and He is just waiting for us to listen. Edwin KaEdong Soriano (edwin@winningcoaching.net )

Reflection: What message is God whispering (again) to you today?

Lord, open my eyes, my ears and my heart to Your message today.

St. Augustine of Hippo, bishop and doctor of the Church, pray for us.

 The last line of this reading tells us that alms can atone for sins. How often have we acted on this truth? One of the reasons almsgiving is so powerful is that it moves in the opposite spirit of sin. It is a way of giving rather than hurting or destroying others. This is why almsgiving has always played a large part in the ministry of the Church.

Sirach 3:17-18, 20, 28-29

17 My child, conduct your affairs with humility, and you will be loved more than a giver of gifts. 18 Humble yourself the more, the greater you are, and you will find favor with God. 20 What is too sublime for you, seek not, into things beyond your strength search not. 28 The mind of a sage appreciates proverbs, and an attentive ear is the joy of the wise. 29 Water quenches a flaming fire, and alms atone for sins.

Psalm 68:4-5, 6-7, 10-11

R: God, in your goodness, you have made a home for the poor.

3 [4] The just rejoice and exult before God; they are glad and rejoice. 4 [5] Sing to God, chant praise to his name, whose name is the Lord. (R) 5 [6] The father of orphans and the defender of widows is God in his holy dwelling. 6 [7] God gives a home to the forsaken; he leads forth prisoners to prosperity. (R) 9 [10] A bountiful rain you showered down, O God, upon your inheritance; you restored the land when it languished; 10 [11] your flock settled in it; in your goodness, O God, you provided it for the needy. (R)

The sacrifice Jesus offers on the cross is the greatest that has been offered. The author of this letter explains it in terms of Jesus’ blood speaking more eloquently than that of Abel. Abel’s is one of the purest sacrifices in the Old Testament and Jesus surpasses this. Let us ask the Holy Spirit what this means and listen to His answer.

Hebrews 12:18-19, 22-24

18 Brothers and sisters: You have not approached that which could be touched and a blazing fire and gloomy darkness and storm 19 and a trumpet blast and a voice speaking words such that those who heard begged that no message be further addressed to them. 22 No, you have approached Mount Zion and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and countless angels in festal gathering, 23 and the assembly of the firstborn enrolled in heaven, and God the judge of all, and the spiritsof the just made perfect, 24 and Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and the sprinkled blood that speaks more eloquently than that of Abel.

How often do we mingle with the poor? Do we always stay in our comfort zones? We have to be a Church of and for the poor if we are to be true to the Gospel. What this means for each of us will be different. However, we can be sure that we will have to serve the less fortunate in our midst.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Take my yoke upon you, says the Lord, and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart.

Luke 14:1, 7-14

1 On a sabbath Jesus went to dine at the home of one of the leading Pharisees, and the people there were observing him carefully. 7 He told a parable to those who had been invited, noticing how they were choosing the places of honor at the table. 8 “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, 9 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. 10 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. 11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” 12 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. 13 Rather, when you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; 14 blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

think: How often do we mingle with the poor? Do we always stay in our comfort zones?

Thank You Lord for: __________________

READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR  Isaiah 49-52

SABBATH PAUSE

THANK YOU LIST

SPECIAL NEEDS

HIDDEN TREASURE

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A LESSON IN HUMILITY

“Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

       The central point of this story has something to do with pride and humility. Our human egos are quite clever. Taking a low seat may not only avoid embarrassment but lead to elevation. One takes the low seat because one is really humble — that’s real humility; taking the low seat, on the other hand, as a way to move up is bad humility. It’s hypocrisy and pride. The entire message can become ridiculous if there is a dash for the lowest place, with ears cocked toward the host, waiting for the call to ascend. This kind of pride rests on hypocrisy, while humility rests on truth.

       Look at Mary, the very model of humility. She calls herself “handmaid of the Lord” but she is also aware of being holy. She expresses this in her Magnificat when she says to Elizabeth, “The Mighty One has done great things for me.” So, she frankly acknowledges her greatness while at the same time she admits humbly that she is not the source of her greatness. She is careful to give credit where credit is due. “The Mighty One,” she specifies, “has done great things for me.”

    In other words, God — and God alone — is the source of her greatness. Recognizing one’s lowliness is the proper attitude for human beings. When Jesus teaches that “the one who humbles himself will be exalted,” He does not say that the ones who shall be exalted are the ones who say they are ugly, not intelligent or uneducated when that is not the case. People who deny their qualities are making God a liar because He gave them those qualities and they say they do not have them. The humble person will say or think: I am good-looking, thanks be to God who gave me my looks. I am bright, thanks be to God who gave me my intelligence.

    Humble people rejoice in their gifts because they see themselves truthfully as they are. They are great in the eyes of God. Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD

REFLECTION QUESTION: Do you acknowledge your talents as gifts from God and remain humble because all you have were given by God?

Lord, no one is as humble as You are. Teach me true humility, always acknowledging that without You I am nothing. Amen.