TWENTY SECOND SUNDAY KINGDOM «ETIQUETTE»: HUMILITY AND SOLIDARITY WITH THE POOR readings sirach 3:17-18, 20, 28-29; hebrews 12:18-19, 22-24a; luke 14:1, 7-14 usccb.org/bible/readings/090113.cfm don shula – legendary coach of the miami dolphins (whom he led to two super bowl victories) – went to a small town in maine for a vacation after the second of the dolphins’ wins. he went for a movie one evening with his wife and five kids. when they entered the theatre, the small gathering cheered them! «i can’t believe it,» shula said to his wife, «they recognize me all the way up here!» when one man came up to shake his hand, shula asked if he were a dolphin fan. «i don’t know what you’re talking about,» the man said. «i came over to thank you for coming, because the manager said he wouldn’t show the movie if we didn’t get ten people into the theatre pretty soon.» shula learned humility* that evening in that small town in maine! this sunday’s readings challenge us to be humble. JESUS notices guests at a sabbath dinner jockeying for positions of honour. he uses a parable to challenge them to humility; he echoes the wisdom of sirach in the first reading: «humble yourself the more, the greater you are, and you will find favour with God.» one who lives by kingdom etiquette knows that status, which society confers, counts for nothing. our status is measured not by our rank or occupation but by the quantum of love we offer GOD through service for others. our status depends not on how others look at us, but on the care and compassion with which we look at them. in the second part of the gospel, JESUS shifts focus from guest etiquette to host etiquette. he uses hyperbole about his preferred guest list to remind us of his preferential option for the poor. throughout his ministry, JESUS sought the least, the lost and the forgotten. further, he wants inclusion, not exclusion; the narrow door of last week has been opened wide to let all people in. do i jockey for positions in my church? are our eucharistic banquets places where social distinctions vanish, and i recognize others as brothers and sisters? am i humble? do i acknowledge my strengths and shortcomings, and recognize others’ feats and forgive their failures? is there place in my heart/life for the world’s «nobodies»... the least, the lost and the forgotten? may you and i learn kingdom etiquette! * for the record, shula is a humble man. the sign outside his door reads: «i’m just a guy who rolls up his sleeves and goes to work.» he says: «geniuses are those who deal with life-and-death situations. i would have no reason to consider myself a genius. i’m a football coach.»
Posted on: Sat, 31 Aug 2013 08:36:47 +0000
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