THE HIGHWAY CALLED HUMILITY - Fr. Erick Y. Santos, OFS

As a child, I dreamt of living the good life. Born of impoverished parents, I’d always dreamt of a big house with large chandeliers, plenty of beautiful children and a swimming pool. It’s free to dream, so I enjoyed dreaming to the hilt, thinking that all these comforts would bring me the joy that I’d been seeking for.

       The Lord answered my prayers —He fulfilled my dreams when I became a priest. I dreamt of a big house, and the Lord gave me a church — a big church indeed, with large chandeliers hanging in the ceiling. The Lord gave me children — plenty of children, as everyone calls me “Father.” And the Lord gave me a swimming pool. In my early years as a priest, I was assigned to flood-prone Malabon. Our church would be submerged in water during typhoons and high tide. The Lord granted my wishes, not so much in terms of giving in to my whims, but to teach me a lesson in humble giving and sharing.

       As He blesses us, He expects us to be more humble and generous. He calls us to “conduct our affairs with humility.” There is a reason why the Lord showers us with every good blessing. He wishes that His generosity be recognized by others through us. Indeed, “alms atone for sins.”     In today’s parable, Jesus, the humblest of all humble servants, reminds us against seeking places of honor and prestige. In a world where people seek recognition and honor, where every title matters so much, it is very difficult to remain lowly. It’s a rat race. One has to prove his worth.

       But then, the Lord shows us the way to prove one’s worth: through the one challenging highway called humility. Humility does not mean being quiet and doing nothing. One can still be productive without bragging. It is doing something, being active without the usual drum beating and clashing of cymbals. It’s doing things quietly.

       When we humbly serve the least of our brethren, we are assured of a reward: “You will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

 

REFLECTION QUESTION: How do you practice humility in your daily life?

Heart touching Beautiful Love story…..A very poor man

One day, his wife, who had very long hair asked him to buy her a comb for her hair to grow well and to be well-groomed.

The man felt very sorry and said no. He explained that he did not even have enough money to fix the strap of his watch he had just broken. She did not insist on her request.

The man went to work and passed by a watch shop, sold his damaged watch at a low price and went to buy a comb for his wife.

He came home in the evening with the comb in his hand ready to give to his wife.

He was surprised when he saw his wife with a very short hair cut.

She had sold her hair and was holding a new watch band.

Tears flowed simultaneously from their eyes, not for the futility of their actions, but for the reciprocity of their love.

MORAL: To love is nothing, to be loved is something but to love and to be loved by the one you love,that is EVERYTHING. Never take love for granted.

GOSPEL READING TODAY, SUNDAY - LUKE 14:1, 7-14 - Humility is the greatest graces

GOSPEL

 

The opposite of pride is humility, and humility has a lot to do with truth. It is true that none of us are worthy to stand in the presence of God. It is grace alone that allows us to do that. Likewise, today’s parable reminds us that we should never assume that we are more important than anyone else in the room. God’s ways of looking at life are not necessarily the same as the world’s. Let us be humble so that we can move up a seat rather than risk being told to vacate a seat for someone else.

 

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:  As we seek to give our lives to Christ and work in His Kingdom, let us remember that it is only possible because of the grace of God.

~ Put the Glass Down~

A Professor began his class by holding up a glass with some water in it. He held it up for all to see & asked the students “How much do you think this glass weighs?”

'50g!' .... '100g!' ..... '125g' ..the students answered. 

“I really don't know unless ...I weigh it,” said the professor, “but, my question is: What would happen if I held it up like this for a few minutes?”

'Nothing' …..the students said.

'Ok what would happen if I held it up like this for an hour?' the professor asked.

'Your arm would begin to ache' said one of the student.

“You're right, now what would happen if I held it for a day?”

“Your arm could go numb, you might have severe muscle stress & paralysis & have to go to hospital for sure!” … ventured another student & all the students laughed …

“Very good, But during all this, did the weight of the glass change?” asked the professor.

‘No’…. Was the answer.

“Then what caused the arm ache & the muscle stress?”

The students were puzzled.

“What should I do now to come out of pain?” asked professor again.

‘Put the glass down!’ said one of the students.

“Exactly!” said the professor.

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Life's problems are something like this. Hold it for a few minutes in your head & they seem OK. Think of them for a long time & they begin to ache. Hold it even longer & they begin to paralyze you. You will not be able to do anything. It's important to think of the challenges or problems in your life, but EVEN MORE IMPORTANT is to ‘PUT THEM DOWN’.

God knows all our problems and struggles in life and He is inviting us to go to Him and leave all of these heavy burdens to Him so we can have rest.
Why would you want to carry your heavy burdens alone if you can always give it to God and have rest. Our God is much bigger than any problems we have in life. Surrender your life to Him and trust in Him with all your heart, mind and soul and surely you will find rest in Him.

GOSPEL READING TODAY, AUGUST 26, 2013 (Courtesy of DIDACHE)

GOSPEL

A person who fails to live the Gospel can never properly guide another person in it. This is the same as the principle of not being able to give away something we do not have. I cannot introduce you to a person I do not know myself. Let us then seek to be faithful witnesses to the truth of the Gospel, so that no one will call us hypocrites.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord; I know them, and they follow me.

Matthew 23:13-22

13 Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You lock the Kingdom of heaven before men. You do not enter yourselves, nor do you allow entrance to those trying to enter. [14] 14 15 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You traverse sea and land to make one convert, and when that happens you make him a child of Gehenna twice as much as yourselves. 16 “Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘If one swears by the temple, it means nothing, but if one swears by the gold of the temple, one is obligated.’ 17 Blind fools, which is greater, the gold, or the temple that made the gold sacred?18 And you say, ‘If one swears by the altar, it means nothing, but if one swears by the gift on the altar, one is obligated.’ 19 You blind ones, which is greater, the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred? 20 One who swears by the altar swears by it and all that is upon it; 21 one who swears by the temple swears by it and by him who dwells in it; 22 one who swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and by him who is seated on it.”