Let us pray: Show us Your ways, O LORD; teach us Your paths. Lead us in Your truth and teach us, for You are the GOD of our salvation; on You we wait all the day. Amen.
HUMILITY IS KEY TO BE EXALTED BY GOD! One of the Psalmists says: “For exaltation comes neither from the east nor from the west nor from the south. But GOD is the Judge: He puts down one, and exalts another.” (Psalms 75:6-7)
This morning, the Gospel tells us that JESUS is dining at the house of a Pharisee, a religious leader. While He is there, He notices guests keenly watching each other and choosing seats of honor. Culturally, in that era, seating arrangements at banquets indicated social status, with the most prominent guests sitting closest to the host — so JESUS in His parable tells the guests not to take the best seat, fearing that someone more important might arrive, forcing them to move to a less honorable place and causing them to lose face. Instead, He suggests taking the lowest seat. This way, when the host sees them, they might invite them to move to a more honorable position, which is a true source of honor.
With that parable, He was still carrying out teaching about the Kingdom of Heaven, which is completely different from the earthly kingdom. For He always made sure that, every opportunity He got, no matter how small, He taught His disciples about the Kingdom of GOD.
In this parable, He is warning them — He is also warning us — against pride, arrogance, and the desire for self-promotion! In pride, people abandon the fear of GOD. As Sirach rightly said in the first lesson: “The beginning of human pride is to forsake the LORD! The heart has withdrawn from its Maker! For the beginning of pride is sin, and the one who clings to it pours out abominations!”
In pride, people neglect to show hospitality to others, because pride promotes self-centeredness and a sense of superiority, making individuals less inclined to welcome or serve others who are different or unknown to them. Pride focuses on oneself, one’s own comfort, and status, making it difficult to extend care and generosity to others, particularly strangers, and it also hinders mutual love! Brotherly love! Christians are encouraged to demonstrate love and affection towards one another within the family of GOD. We’re encouraged to support and care for each other, reflecting the Love of CHRIST! But the spirit of pride prevents that! It is an evil and dangerous spirit.
And to neglect strangers is dangerous because it blocks the blessings that come to you from above, from the GOD of Grace, not only the blessings but sometimes divine significance, as the HOLY SPIRIT told us in the book of Hebrews, that by showing hospitality to strangers some have entertained angels without knowing it! In the book of Genesis 18 we find a good example of that: Abraham was sitting by his tent when three men appeared. He rose to meet them, bowed low, and offered them water, bread, and a place to rest. These visitors were angels, and they brought Abraham the promise that he and Sarah would have a son! Which was good news to them! If they had not shown those strangers hospitality, they would not have received this good news.
In the following chapter of the same book, two angels arrived in Sodom in the evening. Lot, Abraham’s nephew, saw them, met them, bowed down to them, and invited them to his house to spend the night and wash their feet. Lot did not know they were angels sent to save him and his family from the destruction of Sodom. If Lot had not shown those strangers hospitality, he would not have survived the destruction of Sodom.
So I say: Run away from pride! Run away from arrogance! By doing that, you will save yourself from seeking self-promotion! For seeking self-promotion stems from pride and arrogance, leading to a distraction from GOD’s will and the needs of others. This path can result in spiritual blindness, damaged relationships, and a lack of GOD’s favor, as GOD opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. True exaltation and spiritual growth come from humility, service, and selfless motives, rather than from the pursuit of personal recognition.
After JESUS warned them about pride, He looks at the Pharisee who had invited him. He instructs his followers by telling him to prioritize inviting the poor, disabled, and marginalized — those who cannot repay the kindness — rather than wealthy friends and relatives who will only return the favor. And the core of this message is that generosity should not be conditional on receiving something in return! For true generosity stems from love for GOD and others, not from a desire for reciprocal favors or social status! By extending invitations to those who are often excluded — the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind — people can imitate GOD’s own Kingdom, not only imitate His Kingdom but also offer pleasing sacrifice, because doing good and sharing what you have with those in need are sacrifices pleasing to GOD!
And GOD will pay you back when you are raised from the dead! That will happen when GOD brings about the new creation! The world when God makes all things new. The new heaven and the new earth. The world to come. That includes everything that GOD created. Yes! That new creation will come when GOD has fully won the battle over evil. JESUS will rule completely as King. He will raise His followers from the dead and give them new bodies. They will enjoy eternal life with GOD forever! JESUSʼ body after His resurrection was the first sign of the new creation. GOD planned all this for us as His children because He has great love for us.
Therefore, all of us should commit ourselves to doing what is good as members of the Kingdom of Heaven which is what we are ordained to do as GOD’s children, and we must be humble at all times so that our GOD may exalt us in due time! For humility is key to be exalted by GOD! Amen.