THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH

Her Doctrine and Morals

Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost

28 September 2025

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The Sunday

Sermon

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Dear Friends in Christ,

There are two noteworthy events in today's Gospel reading (Saint Luke 14:1-11): Jesus heals a man of dropsy in front of the Pharisees on the Sabbath, and Jesus instructs those at the table with Him on the virtue of humility.

Jesus associates and eats with both the publicans, as we saw in last Sunday's Gospel reading, and with the Pharisees, in today's Gospel reading. The Pharisees had apparently invited Jesus to eat with them on the Sabbath so that they could observe Him and see if He would cure the man suffering from dropsy on the Sabbath.

Jesus sees through their scheming ways and asks the lawyers and Pharisees present if it is lawful to heal on the Sabbath. No one could or would answer Him, so Jesus cured the man and sent him away. Then Jesus reminded them that they would not hesitate to work on the Sabbath when it is for the preservation of their own animals. The first lesson is: it is never unlawful to do good.

Next, Jesus instructs those present in the virtue of humility. In a parable, Jesus speaks of people being seated at a wedding feast. We are told not to seek the first place at the feast because there may be one who is more worthy, then we will be asked to step down and will be humiliated in front of everyone present. Instead, we should sit in the last place so that, if we are worthy, we may be asked to move up higher. This is the second lesson, and Jesus' summation of this teaching on humility is: "Everyone that exalteth himself shall be humbled; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted."

Saint Basil warns us against a false humility in seeking the last place so that others may think we are humble. Fighting for last place is just as disruptive and vain as seeking the first place. He says: "Neither should we make a show of humility by resisting strongly: humility is practiced rather by simple submission; refusal shows pride more decidedly than taking the first place when invited to do so."

Nor should we be concerned about the opinions of our fellow men in this world. Whether we are humiliated or exalted in the eyes of men is not what is important. In this world, we often see those who exalt themselves being exalted, while the humble are not infrequently overlooked and never asked to move up higher. Jesus is teaching us eternal truths for our souls. The parable speaks of physical or bodily things to teach us about spiritual and eternal truths. If we are truly humble before God, we will be exalted in eternity. If we are proud and self-promoting, we will be humbled in eternity.

The truly great people in this world were the Saints who are now in Heaven. When we study the lives of the Saints when they were here on earth, we see that they never hesitated to do good. They imitated Jesus and always blessed their neighbors and did not curse them, even when they were being hated, mocked, tortured, and martyred. Though they always remained strong in faith, they never became proud or boastful. Each saw themselves as the least worthy. This they did, not with false humility but with true humility. In the spiritual life, we often wonder how the saints could honestly believe this. They were objectively or truly better than many others in the world.

How are their words and actions not lies, but the truth? We fail to see and understand because we have not yet embraced true sanctity. The saints did not compare themselves with their fellow men. When we compare ourselves with others around us, it is easy to find things in which we are superior to some of those around us. Then we find many reasons to exalt ourselves. But, if we are honest, we will also see that others are also superior to us in many ways as well. In all fairness, we can conclude that their particular goodness is superior to ours. However, the saints do not focus on or compare themselves with others. Their focus and comparison is with Jesus Christ.

Jesus calls us to follow Him, to be like Him. God sent His Son for us to imitate and follow. If we imitate and follow the saints, we are ultimately imitating and following Jesus Christ. Our goodness or virtue can only be truly measured in comparison with Jesus Christ. Once we understand this, it is clear that Jesus is all good, just, holy, worthy, etc., and we, on the other hand, are nothing. We are the least; we are the unworthiest; we are nothingness.

It is when we spiritually understand this in true humility that we constantly strive to draw nearer to Jesus, do better, to imitate Him more perfectly — trusting in His mercy because we are humbly aware of our unworthiness. Our works are nothing by themselves, but when they are united with the works of Jesus, they obtain an infinite value. From the lowest place here on earth, Jesus, in eternity, will lift up His friends and say move up higher.

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