The Sunday Sermon Archive

Dear Friends in Christ,

The second great commandment of God is that we love our neighbors as we love ourselves. We are inundated with a great many worldly rules that keep us socially acceptable, politically correct, inclusive, nondiscriminatory, etc. In striving to be inoffensive, we must also be careful to be true. Sometimes the truth hurts, but pain is a necessary part of life. Charity or love does not mean acceptance. True love is in speaking the truth no matter what.

In today's Gospel reading (Luke 14:1-11), Jesus gives us an example of how to act in a particular public setting, along with further verbal instructions. He was invited and attended a supper hosted by some who set up an experiment on Him. They wished to see if Jesus would work a miracle to help someone on the Sabbath. Jesus verbalized to them the question that they put before Him. "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath day?" They were all silent, so Jesus told them through His actions. He took the man, healed him, and sent him away.

To justify this action of working on the Sabbath, Jesus reminds them all that they would not hesitate, on the Sabbath, to help livestock when they are in danger. A man is of greater value than livestock. Works of charity are not forbidden on the Sabbath, but we might even conclude that they are mandated when the opportunity arises.

After instructing us through His actions, Jesus now gives us a parable. When we are invited to a gathering, we should be humble rather than proud and boastful. We should seek out the last place as our proper place. If we are deemed more worthy, the host will move us higher. If we take a higher place, we risk the host asking us to move down lower. The proud and boastful will be humbled, whereas the truly humble will be lifted up and exalted.

To treat our neighbor in the manner that we would like to be treated is the "golden rule." When we need help, we welcome relief from anyone, regardless of the day of the week. Therefore, it is clear that we must provide any help we can, when we can, regardless of the day of the week. This we should do regardless of what those around us may think or say.

But this presents us with a dilemma. If we physically assist another and in doing so offend the "sensibilities" of others, what are we to do? We should follow Jesus' example. We are to give the physical assistance and then explain and instruct those whose "sensibilities" have been offended. The scrupulous will always find sin in whatever is done. It is an act of charity to instruct them and thus help to heal their hearts and minds as well. The law of charity supersedes all the lesser laws. The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.

While we give physical aid to one, we give spiritual aid to others. However, we must seek to do so without being proud or vain. Not with an attitude of superiority. We should offer physical aid as a servant to his master in all humility. We should offer instruction and guidance in all humility, not in a way that is insulting or degrading. To teach with pride and vanity is not done for the love of neighbors but rather for the vanity of our own ego. Instructing should not be insulting, but uplifting.

The commentators on this passage also warn us of becoming proud of our "humility." In the spiritual life it is tempting to fight over the last place, each wishing to appear to be the least, the lowest, the humblest. This is not humility but its opposite. It is pride and vanity. A good thing is being used for the wrong purpose.

Our actions are not to be guided or ruled by what others may think or say. We ought rather to be guided or ruled by what God may think or say. It is with love in our hearts that we should act and speak. Indeed, some will deliberately try to sabotage our actions or words. They will take our words or actions out of context to present us in a negative light.

When we are questioned about our words and actions performed out of love for God and our neighbors, we need to make a judgment about our interrogator. Are they asking sincerely, or are they asking to trap us? Many just love to argue or fight over words. It is perhaps best to remain silent and walk away. We should strive in all humility to lovingly and correctly answer those who may question us in good faith.

May the Immaculate Heart of Mary inspire, guide, and protect us.

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