The Sunday Sermon Archive

Dear Friends in Christ,

In today's Gospel reading (St. Luke 14. 1-11), Jesus heals a man on the Sabbath and instructs us in humility. Jesus was invited to the house of one of the chiefs of the Pharisees to share a meal. The eyes of the people were focused upon Jesus to find fault with Him. The Gospel reading does not say that Jesus was asked any question, but it says: "And Jesus answering, spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees saying: Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath day?" Jesus knew their hearts and minds were filled with questions they would not dare to vocalize, so He answered the questions they held in their hearts. This proves beyond any doubt that He is God. For who can read the hearts and minds of another besides God?

After healing the man who had dropsy, Jesus sent him away and began showing the Pharisees that they would not hesitate to break the law of the Sabbath to protect their animals or possessions. He lets us conclude that good works charitably done for our fellow man do not offend against the law of the Sabbath.

What has clouded the minds of these learned and privileged men that they could not understand the true nature of God's Law? We find the answer in the parable Jesus now gives us. Pride is the cause of our humiliation. The humble are not humiliated because they have willingly taken the lowest place, and the only change in their position will be upward. Those who take upon themselves the highest place will find that their only change in status is downward. "Everyone that exalteth himself shall be humbled; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted."

Pride darkens the mind, while humility enlightens it. When we lift ourselves up, we imagine we see more clearly, but the opposite is true. The more we are filled with pride, the darker our intellects become and the less clearly, we see or understand. Pride causes us to look inward, thus limiting or darkening our perspective. Humility raises our eyes outward to observe God, truth, and reality.

God is indeed within us, just as it is true to say that there is air within us. It is more accurate to say that we find ourselves in God, just as we find ourselves in the air we breathe. The spiritual perspective we choose is essential to drawing closer to God and truth.

Jesus once prayed: "I give thanks to Thee, O Father, Lord of Heaven and earth, because Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them to little ones." (St. Matthew 11:25) Father Haydock's commentary says: "Jesus gives thanks to His heavenly Father because He had revealed the secret of His coming to His disciples, who, according to the false opinion of men, are called children and fools, and had hidden it from the Scribes and Pharisees, whom He in ridicule calls the wise and prudent."

Again, Jesus says: "Amen I say unto you, unless you be converted, and become as little children, you shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven." (St. Matthew 18:3)

The "wisdom and understanding" of this world is ignorance and darkness. This is so because of the pride and vanity of the world. The world looks upon true faith as childishness, foolishness, and darkness. The humble appear as simplistic or unsophisticated. The proud appear as intelligent and wise.

The ways of God and the ways of the world are opposites. While the world presents its wisdom as light, truth, and goodness, it is darkness, falsehood, and evil in actuality. The world presents the wisdom of God as darkness, error, superstition, narrowmindedness, etc. There does not seem to be any way for the world and God to be any further from one another.

Seeking the last or the least place in this world equates in the minds of the saints to pursuing the heights of Heaven. Seeking the first and greatest place in this world equates to pursuing eternal misery and suffering in Hell. The ways of God appear inconceivable to the world, and the ways of the world are inconceivable to the faithful followers of God.

The world asks, "who in their right mind desires to live in poverty, chastity, and obedience?" The saints ask, "who in their right mind desires to spend eternity in suffering, darkness, and misery?"

The worldlings want to enjoy temporary pleasures here and now regardless of the consequences. The godly wish to obtain eternal happiness in Heaven regardless of the sacrifices necessary here and now.

May God grant us the grace to always strive for the happiness of Heaven by doing His Will and making any and every temporal sacrifice necessary in this life.

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