Homily of the 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
By Fr Oluwafemi Victor Orilua CSSP
Sirach 3:17-18, 20, 28-29, Hebrews 12:18-19, 22-24a, Luke 14:1, 7-14
The kind of people who are drawn to what we do matters greatly. Scripture says, “My son, perform your tasks in meekness; then you will be loved by those whom God accepts.” Sirach 3:17-18. It is dangerous to be carried away by the applause of the crowd. Humble people do not chase clout under the guise of seeking public acceptance. Instead, they carry out their duties with diligence and quiet faithfulness. It is the Lord who blesses their work.
The Lord teaches in Luke 14:7–11: “When you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher.’ Then you will be honoured in the presence of all who sit at table with you. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” Honour is not seized-it is bestowed. When we struggle to be noticed, we risk losing our dignity. Respect flows from values, and true worth is measured by the value we bring to others.
Moreover, it is said that an empty drum makes the loudest noise. Great inventors are rarely known until their works are unveiled; it is often the users of their gifts who make their names known. They do not have time for show off, but their works speak for them. In the same way, true service requires humility and simplicity. As Christians, our call leads us to the lowly and the forgotten. Only with hearts wide enough to embrace them can we truly hear their cry.
The psalmist proclaims, “In your goodness, O God, you provided a home for the poor” .Yet when the rich keep to the rich and the poor remain only with the poor, humanity is held back from growth. The Lord Jesus himself instructs us: “When you give a dinner, do not invite your friends, brothers, relatives, or rich neighbours, lest they repay you in kind. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. You will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”
May the Lord, who humbles the proud and exalts the lowly, grant us the grace to walk in humility and to serve him faithfully. Amen.
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