Romans 11:1-2,11-12,25-29, Ps. 94:12-15,17-18 & Luke 14:1,7-11
“For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled” (Luke 14:11)
A simple way of understanding the meaning of pride is giving ourselves credit for that which is not ours. To be proud is to assume that we are what we are by our own power or that the Grace of God is no longer responsible for our goodness.
Pride is like being drunk with wine. In that state of drunkenness, we always assume all is well, even when our house is burning. It was pride that made this chosen race reject Jesus Christ. They couldn’t just imagine that God would decide to stoop himself so low as to take our human flesh and be called a son of a carpenter.
St. Paul says: “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that should not see and ears that should not hear, down to this very day.” Even David had prophesied saying: “Let their table become a snare and a trap, a pitfall and a retribution for them; let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see, and bend their backs forever.”
That is what happens when we become proud of ourselves. The moment we begin to see ourselves as better than others, we receive humiliation. It is like taking a place at the high table when invited for a ceremony only for the host to politely ask you to step down for a more important guest. This was the very parable that Jesus Christ gave to us in today’s Gospel passage to teach us the importance of humility.
Let us pray: Lord Jesus, may I never become so drunk with pride that I become blind to the fact that it is only your grace that sustains me. Teach me to be humble always and never look down on others. Amen.
Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Saturday of week 30 in Ordinary Time. Bible Study: Romans 11:1-2,11-12,25-29, Ps. 94:12-15,17-18 & Luke 14:1,7-11)