A Lectio Divina Approach to the Sunday Liturgy
BREAKING THE BREAD OF THE WORD (# 40)
22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time – August 29, 2004
“The Humble Will Be Exalted”
Sir 3:17-18, 20, 28-29 / Heb 12:18-19, 22-24a // Lk 14:1, 7-14
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS
Mike McGarvin, the founder of Poverello House in Fresno, was an alcoholic, a drug addict and a substance abuser. Mike became converted in his early twenties when he met the tenderhearted and welcoming Franciscan priest, Fr. Simon Scanlon in Tenderloin, in urban San Francisco. The Tenderloin district was notorious for its poverty, prostitution, and violence. Fr. Simon, the pastor of St. Boniface Church, responded to the hapless situation by gathering some volunteers and opening the Poverello Coffeehouse, a safe haven and place of refuge where people on the streets could find acceptance, hot coffee, and a warm welcome. Fr. Simon asked Mike to volunteer at Poverello. The burly ex-football player said “yes” and, in accepting to serve the poor and the homeless, was set on the road to recovery. In 2003 he wrote a very interesting book, “Papa Mike”, about his conversion and his service to the poor, the marginalized and the homeless. After reading the book, I concluded that Mike McGarvin is a living example of one who had humbly recognized his human frailty and weakness and turned to God for salvation. He is a realization of the words of Jesus: “The one who humbles himself will be exalted” (Lk 14:11b). The following anecdote that Mike wrote in his book made me chuckle for it fittingly illustrates the other aspect of Jesus’ lesson on humility: “Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled” (Lk 12:14a).
At St. Boniface and Poverello, I got a real slice of life. The Tenderloin was the bottom of the social barrel, and all sorts of desperate cases drifted in and out …There was a regular at Poverello who was exceptional. He looked like a typical street person: dirty, a ratty beard, deteriorating, mismatching clothes. One day someone told me that he had once been a chess champion, ranked eighth in the United States. He had been involved with a love relationship that didn’t work out, and it had taken him over the edge. He started drinking too much, and eventually landed on the streets in San Francisco. One evening, a volunteer, who was a lawyer, looked out over the coffeehouse and said, “I’ll bet these people aren’t smart enough to play chess.” I was offended by his remark, but immediately thought of a way to cool this guy’s arrogance. I pointed to the chess champion, and said, “I’ve seen that guy play a little chess; why don’t you try him out?” The lawyer played three games with him, and the old wino beat him resoundingly every time. The attorney fancied himself an excellent chess player, so he was devastated. He came back up to the counter, and kept saying over and over, “I can’t believe that old drunk beat me three times.”
This Sunday’s Gospel reading (Lk 14: 1, 7-14) tells us that on a Sabbath day Jesus had gone for a meal to the house of a leading Pharisee. Jesus noticed how the guests were choosing the places of honor at table. In this meal setting populated with “social climbers”, the Divine Master narrated to the guests a parable that ends with a powerful dictum: “For everyone who exalts himself with be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted” (Lk 14:11). The biblical scholar, Eugene Maly explains the faith context of this parable: “Jesus is not concerned with ordinary social etiquette. He has more in mind than that … This is a Kingdom talk. This is the way it is in the Kingdom of God. A presupposition of the saying is that God issues the invitation to the Kingdom banquet. And he issues it to the lowly, the humble, those who recognize their total dependence on God’s salvation. These are the ones who will be exalted. But those who say, ‘Look at me, Lord! See my strength, my wealth, my influence’, are the ones who will be humbled. This humility, this total openness to the strength of God leads to greatness.”
Indeed, the kingdom parable of Jesus underlines the meaning of humility, which is basically a total dependence on God who wills our salvation. The Divine Master took the way of humility in his pilgrimage to Jerusalem to bring to fulfillment his life-giving paschal destiny on the cross. Jesus crystallized the meaning of humility in his very person. He is the Servant-Son totally consecrated to the saving will of God. With deep humility as faithful servant and in filial obedience, Jesus humbly pursued the Father’s saving plan and fully committed his entire being to God. The lowly one of Yahweh trusted in the marvelous action of God – he who humbles and exalts. According to St. Paul and an early Christian hymn: “Jesus humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross. Because of this, God greatly exalted him” (Phil 2:8-9).
The Christian stance of humility springs forth from the disciples’ union with Jesus in his self-emptying or kenosis. Jesus Lord, who incarnated the spirit of humility by his total submission to the Father’s saving will, calls his disciples in every time and age to live out this principle of total dependence on God. The humble way as a path of life is best exemplified in Mary, the first Christian disciple, who sang in the “Magnificat”: “He has thrown down the rulers from their thrones but lifted up the lowly” (Lk 1:52).
After narrating the parable of humility to the guests, Jesus then addressed the host and gave instructions on choosing guests to be invited: “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. Rather, when you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; blessed indeed you will be because of their inability to repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous” (Lk 14:12-14). The statement that one should not invite friends, relatives, and neighbors, but the poor, the crippled, the lame and the blind is a Semetic exaggeration. Hence, Jesus’ instructions should not be taken literally. According to Jerome Kodell: “The point is that in doing good we should serve freely, without regard for our own prospects, leaving the recompense to God. This is the way Jesus went about doing good, emptying himself for others without counting the cost … The kingdom is for everyone, and our hospitality is to embrace all, especially those who are overlooked by people with only selfish motives.”
True humility leads to a loving service of the poor of Yahweh. Our total dependence on God expresses itself in humility before our neighbors, in openness to others who are all welcomed by God into the table of his feasting. Indeed, the spirit of humility makes us realize that the saving banquet is for all. As Christian disciples, we have a vital role in making God’s gracious, inclusive invitation to the feast of his kingdom known. We are humble servants of God’ saving plan to bring everyone into the joyful banquet of his kingdom. The greatest service we can render to the “anawim” or the poor of Yahweh is to lead them to the love of God and the bounteous feasting of his eternal kingdom.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART
A. What does Jesus’ dictum on humility mean to us, personally and concretely?
B. Are we willing to replicate in our life the humble stance of Jesus, the Servant of Yahweh and the Son of God?
C. What will I do to make God’s gracious, inclusive invitation known to all?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD
Leader: Loving Father,
your only begotten Son Jesus is the humble Servant
in whom you are most pleased.
We praise and thank you for the mystery of his kenosis and self-emptying.
We therefore sing with joy:
“Jesus humbled himself,
becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross.
Because of this, God greatly exalted him” (Phil 2:8-9).
Father, most holy,
help us to participate fully in the saving event of Christ’s self-emptying
that we too may be exalted with him in glory.
May we always be guided by his life-giving saying:
“For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled,
but the one who humbles himself will be exalted” (Lk 14:11).
Help us to realize more and more that the feast of your kingdom is for all.
Fill us with zeal and apostolic strength
to spread your gracious saving invitation to all peoples,
especially the poor and needy,
the lonely and the abandoned,
the underprivileged and the marginalized.
At the banquet of your eternal kingdom,
now anticipated in the Eucharistic feasting and in the life of the serving Church,
may we experience joyfully the reality of Christ’s promise:
“For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous” (Lk 14:14).
We ask this through Christ our Lord
who lives and reigns forever and ever.
Assembly: Amen.
IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the week. Please memorize it.
“For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted” (Lk 14:11).
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION
A. ACTION PLAN: In a spirit of humility, renew your total dependence on God and his saving will. Conclude your meditative prayer with the following invocation: “Of myself, I can do nothing. With God, I can do all. For the love of God, I wish to do all. May God be given honor. May I obtain paradise. Amen.”
B. ACTION PLAN: If possible, read the inspiring book, “Papa Mike” by Mike McGarvin. The book, which costs $20, is available at Poverello House, P.O. Box 12225, Fresno CA 93777. All proceeds from the sale of this book go directly to assist the mission of caring for the poor at Poverello House.
Prepared by Sr. Mary Margaret Tapang PDDM
SISTER DISCIPLES OF THE DIVINE MASTER
60 Sunset Ave., Staten Island, NY 10314
Tel. (718) 494-8597 // (718) 761-2323
Website: WWW.PDDM.US