Choosing Humility

How do you respond to an invitation? When you are invited, how do you feel? Invitations come in different forms, shapes and sizes. Some invitations are simple though sweet. Some are too attractive that at times you forget why you’re being invited in the first place. Some are too formal that right from the moment you receive the invitation, you think right away about what clothes to wear or what the formal gathering would require. But no matter what and how the invitation is presented to us, the most important thing is not how we’re invited but how WE RESPOND to the invitation. In fact, an invitation is not a COMMAND, it is a CHOICE.

Here’s an example of a funny and yet very appealing wedding invitation from an Indian couple:

The text below the invitation reads:

Do you think, we will keep these promises? Maybe we will, or maybe we decide not to. Whatever the case, we require your esteemed presence with family to bless us on the auspicious occasion of our wedding reception.

If you look more closely at the last part of the invitation, there is a bit of reservation whether they can keep their promises or not. After the seemingly hard to fulfill promises, above anything else they chose HUMILITY – a virtue which starts at the initial admission of their own weaknesses, which may or could break their promises.

Such is the main theme of this Sunday’s Readings: CHOOSING HUMILITY. Take note, it’s not just humility, the active word “choosing” is very important. We have to be humble not only in our mind, but in our heart as well. In our first reading from the Book of Sirach, a humble person is described as “a person who knows his/her limits; someone who doesn’t seek what is too sublime; and someone who is great and whose greatness is measured in his/her capacity to remain humble and simple.” Let me explain this further through our Gospel reading this Sunday, which principally has two parts:

1. First Part is about the "INVITED GUESTS." The first part of the Gospel is addressed to those who were invited. He asks those invited not to choose the “seat of honor.” By choosing the seat of honor, the guest simply reveals his/her own importance in the event. Jesus warns them to be careful for they could be embarrassed once somebody more honorable than them would arrive and therefore be asked to be seated at the lowest place. Contrary to what invited guests would normally do, He urges them rather to wait for the host to bring them up a higher place or position. In other words, to choose the lowest seat. Honor is given by the host to someone, who seeks humility and chooses to be seated at a lower place.

Mother Teresa was once asked, "How do you measure the success of your work?" She thought about the question and gave her interviewer a puzzled look, and said, "I don't remember that the Lord ever spoke of success. He spoke only of faithfulness in love. This is the only success that really counts."

I think Mother Teresa would point to this story in Luke’s gospel today to justify that response. Jesus instructs us in today’s gospel not to do things that bring us the honor of men. Instead, we are to do things for which God will honor us with His personal invitation.

2. Second Part is about the "HOST or HOSTESS." The second part of the Gospel is addressed to those who have the privilege of being a host. If you are a host/hostess who will you invite? Of course, we will invite people whom we know, people who are in our circle. Nevertheless, in an unconventional way, Jesus urges his disciples to invite those who are outside their circle. “Outside” meaning beyond our comfort zones especially those people who are marginalized, the poor, the crippled, the oppressed, those who are grieving and are having difficulty overcoming their grief. But why? Because as the Gospel relates, these are the people who are unable to repay us as they don’t have the resources to do so. If you choose this path, however, you will be repaid in the resurrection of the just. Hence, choosing humility is our way to the Father.

Most Rev. Paul-Émile Léger served as Archbishop of Montreal from 1950 to 1968, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1953 by Pope Pius XII. He was one of the most powerful men in Canada and within the Catholic Church. He was a man of deep conviction and humility. Then on April 20, 1968 he resigned his office and, leaving his red vestments, crosier, miter, and pallium in his Montreal office, disappeared. Years later, he was found living among the lepers and disabled, outcasts of a small African village. When a Canadian journalist asked him, "Why?" here is what Cardinal Léger had to say: "It will be the great scandal of the history of our century that 600 million people are eating well and living luxuriously and three billion people starve, and every year millions of children are dying of hunger. I am too old to change all that. The only thing I can do which makes sense is to be present. I must simply be in the midst of them. So, just tell people in Canada that you met an old priest. I am a priest who is happy to be old and still a priest and among those who suffer. I am happy to be here and to take them into my heart." Is that your calling? Is it mine? Probably not. Today’s Gospel says: “Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."

I think this story explains the very thought of this Sunday’s theme: CHOOSING HUMILITY. Just like Cardinal Paul-Emile, as leader (host), he showed as an example of what it means to choose humility … to become ONE with his subjects by choosing the lowest seat. He invited people whom he thought was tired and hungry. He invited people who may be out of the circle and yet part of the community we call the Church.

Each day God invites us to far greater things that need our attention, such as, healing, forgiveness, charity, kindness, and the list goes on and on. Question is, what is your response?