The twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time
Our reading from the Old Testament today warns us to be a humble people. Humility is far better than pride, and the humble are more loved than the generous, because many people will take what they want from a philanthropist without much thought for him, as long as they can get what they can. The Psalm reminds us that the Lord is the one who protects the widow and the orphan and those who are powerless.
The theme of humility is taken up in the Gospel passage from Saint Luke where Jesus is the guest of a Pharisee. He also tells people that those who organize feasts for the poor and the needy are the truly generous, because they give to people who cannot give back to them. By giving to those who can give to us, we only deceive ourselves into a false humility. The Lord knows the deepest heart, and he knows whether we are truly humble or not.
In our final extract from the letter to the Hebrews, the author reminds the Hebrews that they have come to the true God and that with him everyone is considered a firstborn son and therefore a citizen of heaven. As citizens of heaven, we must therefore act as if we truly believe it and thus show the way to others so that they too may become citizens.
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