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22 nd sunday year c

in ordinary time

SEEKING THE LOWEST PLACE

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First Reading~ Sirach 3:17-18, 20, 28-29 ~

My child, conduct your affairs with humility,/ and you will be loved more than a giver of gifts./ Humble yourself the more, the greater you are,/ and you will find favor with God./ What is too sublime for you, seek not,/ into things beyond your strength search not./ The mind of a sage appreciates proverbs,/ and an attentive ear is the joy of the wise./ Water quenches a flaming fire,/ and alms atone for sins.

Readings for the Twenty-second Sunday in ordinary time

Responsorial Psalm~ Psalm 68:4-5, 6-7, 10-11 ~

R: God, in your goodness, you have made a home for the poor.The just rejoice and exult before God;

they are glad and rejoice.Sing to God, chant praise to his name;

whose name is the Lord.R:

The father of orphans and the defender of widowsis God in his holy dwelling.

God gives a home to the forsaken;he leads forth prisoners to prosperity.

R:A bountiful rain you showered down, O God, upon your inheritance;

you restored the land when it languished;your flock settled in it;

in your goodness, O God, you provided it for the needy.R:

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Second Reading~ Hebrews 12:18-19, 22-24a ~

Brothers and sisters: You have not approached that which could be touched and a blazing fire and gloomy darkness and storm and a trumpet blast and a voice speaking words such that those who heard begged that no message be further addressed to them. No, you have approached Mount Zion and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and countless angels in festal gathering, and the assembly of the firstborn enrolled in heaven, and God the judge of all, and the spirits of the just made perfect, and Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and the sprinkled blood that speaks more eloquently than that of Abel.

Gospel~ Luke 14:1, 7-14 ~

On a Sabbath Jesus went to dine at the home of one of the leading Pharisees, and the people there were observing him carefully.

He told a parable to those who had been invited, noticing how they were choosing the places of honor at the table. “When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not recline at table in the place of honor. A more distinguished guest than you may have been invited by him, and the host who invited both of you may approach you and say, ‘Give your place to this man,’ and then you would proceed with embarrassment to take the lowest place. Rather, when you are invited, go and take the lowest place so that when the host comes to you he may say, ‘My friend, move up to a higher position.’ Then you will enjoy the esteem of your companions at the table. For every one who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” Then he said to the host who invited him, “When you hold a lunch or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or your wealthy neighbors, in case they may invite you back and you have repayment. Rather, when you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

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Sunday

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Opening Prayer

My soul magnifies the Lord,And my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.

For He has regarded the low estate of His handmaiden,

For behold, henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.

For He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name.

And His mercy is on those who fear Him from generation to generation.

He has shown strength with His arm:He has scattered the proud

in the imagination of their hearts.He has put down the mighty from their thrones,

and exalted those of low degree.He has filled the hungry with good things;

and the rich He has sent empty away.He has helped His servant Israel, in

remembrance of His mercy;As He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to

His posterity forever. Amen.—Luke 1:46-55, RSV

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Feel free to take notes on the video reflection in the space below.

LECTIO DIVINA d SACRED READING OF SCRIPTURE

LECTIO DIVINA d MEDITATION According to the presenter, who uses the example of Mary? What does it truly mean to be humble?

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How does true humility reveal one’s greatness, and why?

In the Gospel reading, Jesus encourages us not to seek out situations where we can draw praise and attention to ourselves, but to “take the lowest place.”

What are some ways we can put this into practice? In other words, how might we seek out taking a “lower place” in our families, workplaces, parishes, or communities?

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Prayer: In prayer, imagine that you are invited to the magnificent banquet described by Jesus in today’s Gospel reading. Picture yourself entering the feast. You see various distinguished guests—important people—walking toward the main tables to take their spots. There are also poor, simple people whom no one recognizes sitting near the back. Now imagine that you are told you can sit anywhere you want. Which seat would you desire in your heart to choose? Where do you think that Jesus would be sitting?

LECTIO DIVINA d PRAYER & RESOLUTION

Resolution: Prayerfully ask Jesus to show you some ways you can be more humble like him and to choose the “lower place.” Come up with at least one resolution for this next week to help you avoid seeking the recognition and honor of this world and live out humility more in your life.

“To be taken with love for a soul, God does not look on its greatness, but the greatness of its humility.”

—St. John of the Cross

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Read the first reading from yesterday (Sirach 3:17-18, 20, 28-29) about humility. The more we humble ourselves, the greater we are in the sight of God. In what areas of your daily life are you guilty of pride? How can you humble yourself in order to be greater in the eyes of God?

“It was pride that changed angels into devils; it is humility that makes men as angels.” —St. Augustine

TuesdayPray again the opening prayer for our study this week, the Magnificat or Canticle of Mary (Luke 1:46-55) on page 141.

“God resists the proud,/ but gives grace to the humble.” —James 4:6

Monday

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Return once again to the Canticle of Mary that you prayed yesterday. Pray it once again. In profound humility, Mary recognized her greatness because of God’s power and presence working in her life.

What gifts do you humbly give to the Church and to the world through God working powerfully in your life? In what ways is God calling you to better use these gifts in all humility?

“There is no doubt that God will never be wanting to us, provided that he finds in us that humility which

makes us worthy of his gifts, the desire of possessing them, and the promptitude to co-operate industriously

with the graces he gives us.”—St. Ignatius of Loyola

Wednesday

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ThursdayRead and meditate on the passage from this Sunday’s Gospel reading: “When you hold a lunch or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or your wealthy neighbors, in case they may invite you back and you have repayment. Rather, when you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

Do you in humility recognize the needs of those around you, both materially and spiritually? In what ways might you be able to provide humble service to those in need?

“Humility, which is a virtue, is always fruitful in good works.”

—St. Thomas Aquinas

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Recall that on every Friday we remember Good Friday, the day that Jesus died on the cross for us. Meditate for some time on this powerful passage from the letter of St. Paul to the Philippians: “Have among yourselves the same attitude that is also yours in Christ Jesus, Who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself,taking the form of a slave,coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross. Because of this, God greatly exalted himand bestowed on him the namethat is above every name, that at the name of Jesusevery knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess thatJesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” ―Philippians 2:5-11

As you face the trials, difficulties, joys, and triumphs of your life, how can you better adopt this same attitude of Jesus so that God may be glorified and exalted through you? How can you better accept moments of humiliation as more closely imitating Christ and moments of praise as ways of giving glory to God?

Friday

“He who wants to learn true humility should reflect upon the Passion of Jesus.” —St. Faustina Kowalska

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“Humility makes our lives acceptable to God, meekness makes us acceptable to men.”

—St Francis De Sales

SaturdayReflect on these words from the Responsorial Psalm:

The father of orphans and the defender of widows is God in his holy dwelling.God gives a home to the forsaken;he leads forth prisoners to prosperity.

What is Jesus asking you to do, in humility, to serve those around you? Who do you know who might be called an orphan, a widow, or a prisoner?