Twenty-second Sunday C in ordinary time Luke 14,1,7-14

Pride and humility (Luke 14:1, 7-14)
I need to be aware of the relationship between pride and humility.

A unanimous consensus formed among the members of a small town in determining the name of a street. It was the street that led to the cemetery. Today it is called Equality Street.
Although one burial can be distinguished from another by various criteria, the street name reveals the truth. Every man stands alone before God. However, as long as we live, we must prepare ourselves for this encounter with God.

Jesus, Himself, prepares us to meet Him as Judge with the solemn counsel, “He who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 14:11).

The Evangelist St. Luke describes an incident in the house of a prominent Pharisee, where Jesus is invited to a banquet. Those present observe him, and Jesus observes the behavior of those invited as they choose significant places. In the parable, Jesus attacks pride. Pride is that which is most opposed to God, but also people. Proud behavior is the cause of many misfortunes in personal and social life, but it is also a misfortune for eternal life. “God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble” (1 Peter 5:5). The Jews knew the saying: God “gives grace to the humble” (Prov. 3:34). Pride is the cause of personality decay. A proud person closes himself like a snail into its shell. The proud one looks at everything through his own “prism” and takes a position in defense of his own “self.” The scornful attacks others in fear of threatening his own “self.” It is in constant tension, turmoil, and conflict with self, people, and God, which is unhappiness.
Pride has been the downfall of the most beautiful angels, the devil, and his companions. Pride was the downfall of the grandparents. Pride caused fratricide. Pride is the cause of the confusion of tongues in Babylon. Pride brought the flood upon the world. Pride is the beginning of every fall, sin, evil, unbelief…
When Jesus attacks pride, He also exalts the value of humility. Humility becomes the foundation of salvation.
In the parable, Jesus does not give a standard of good social behavior or a measure of human wisdom. Jesus uses the legend’s words about behaving according to human knowledge to point to eternal life. The banquet Jesus is talking about is eschatological. Our homeland is in heaven. We are all invited to a meal in the kingdom of God. Jesus, therefore, points out that this is not about the relationship between man and man but the relationship between man and God, giving a different essence to the parable. Hence, Jesus’ words: “He who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Lk 14:11), point to the importance and the need to be aware of and adopt an attitude of pride and humility, which determines reward and punishment in eternity. Jesus teaches true humility: “Learn from me, for I am meek and lowly in heart” (Mt. 11:29). Only Jesus can declare this about himself. Who can convict him of sin (cf. Jn. 8:46)? He, who has a divine nature, does not cling to His equality with God, took the heart of a servant, became like us, humbled Himself, accepted the shameful death of the cross… (cf. Phil 2:6-8). Jesus washed the disciples’ feet, and he alone could give the command to follow him.
Humility is the state of detachment from oneself, to serve out of love for brothers and sisters, not out of the calculation, desire for praise, honors, or recognition, but to consciously and willingly follow Christ, to do the will of God.
Humility is a gift that God gives to everyone and with which we are to cooperate. Jesus teaches this in the second part of the parable, “When you are giving lunch or dinner, do not call your own…lest they also call you, and you have your reward” (Lk 14:12). Jesus teaches us to notice those who “have nothing to repay” (Lk. 14:14). The demonstration of love is more than anything else. Love requires humility, not living for self (cf. 1 Cor. 13:1-13). Jesus warns against the behavior; He said: “They have already received their reward” (Mt 6:2). True humility consists in renouncing everything that does not belong to Him for Christ’s sake. And to want only what Jesus expects of us at all times. God is humility, and that is one of the happiest definitions of God. Jesus teaches us to become humble before God and our neighbors through a parable. It is not automatic. Those who want to build the taller the tower of holiness, the deeper they must excavate the foundations of humility. Humility is the salt of purity.

People do not understand humility, yet instinctively understand the humble, the humble, the simple, the selfless. Humility adorns. It is all the more relevant because Jesus Himself calls us to it. Humility is necessary to enter the kingdom of God and must be adequately understood. It is up to us to master the words: “By the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace was not in me in vain” (1 Cor 15:10).

The high mountains, the peaks, and the summits, which require courage, endurance, and strength to overcome, can be likened to the work of a man, a Christian, on himself in the virtue of humility.

To be a Christian is not only a matter of what has been but especially of what is now and in the future on earth, in earthly life. Never forget to live the present moment as a gift from God. Christianity is a difficult journey. To whom humility is not unknown, he is aware of the words: “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Perhaps tribulation, anxiety, or persecution…” (Rom 8:35)? The explanation of these words is given by the Church today. Thomas Kempensky, in Following Christ, writes: “We are all fragile, but you should not consider anyone more fragile than yourself.” And St. Philip prayed daily: “Lord, there is no sin that I would not commit if you would withdraw your hand from me.” Humility made the saints pleasing in the sight of God. Our Lady’s modesty is still relevant for every age and person, even more so for the Christian who has believed in her Son. The words of the Magnificat do not lose their timeliness: ‘God has scattered those who are proud in heart’ (Lk 1-51).
Pride is a sin that opposes God and men. Pride makes life on earth a living hell for people. No wonder the Church places pride first among the capital sins. A proud person cannot even love himself, much less his neighbor or God. If the proud person thinks he at least loves himself, he is doing himself serious harm. Pride is the cause of many diseases. Humility heals both soul and body. Perhaps more than at first thought it may seem. Pride hinders progress, but humility gives take-off. The proud thinks much of himself: what he is, what he means, what he has accomplished, but it is of the humble that God speaks, how great he is in his own eyes.
Pride is the greatest obstacle to holiness. Pride is the chain that binds us to our shortcomings. Proverbs says: “Where pride comes from, happiness goes.” And another, “Pride, hell breathes.”
It is proper to desire humility, to work on our humility. A humble Christ is the guarantee of true happiness. The life of a humble Christian is not only an enrichment to himself but is also a blessing to the neighborhood where he lives.

It is already written in the ancient Egyptian papyri: When Pharaoh Ezostys had four overpowered rulers harnessed to a chariot in 1400 B.C., he noticed how one of them stared at the wheel. And when the astonished pharaoh asked why, he was told, “How quickly the top of the wheel is sinking.”

We can also express it like this: Pride cannot prevail. Humility will always stay. God granted grace to the humble thief on the cross. He forgave the woman sinner; He gave dignity to the servant of the humble centurion. Each of us has the same opportunity.