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 everyone who exalts himself will be
humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
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Reflection:
Do you always
love to be at the forefront so that others would notice you? Do you hunger for
honor and accolades? Or you’re the type who prefers to do things quietly
without any desire to be noticed with what you’re doing?
In our
gospel, Jesus talks about our need to always be humble and not to love the
spotlight. However, it’s so tempting for many of us to love to be exalted, to
love praise and honor.
But
come to think of it, when we love the spotlight; when we love honorific titles.
We are actually giving more importance to this world more than we give
importance to God. We love to become creatures of this world than love to
become sons and daughters of God.
But what is
prominence, what is honor? As time passes by prominence, honor and anything
that is worldly and self-serving will fade away. Thus, anything that we do for
the love of ourselves and of this world will be buried and will not be
remembered anymore.
But our acts
of humility and goodness? It will outlive us; it will permanently be etched in
the heart of God and in the hearts of those who know us. Therefore, we have to
be humble and good and Godly at all times. We have to permanently delete from
our minds the selfish desire to be known and prominent. – Marino J. Dasmarinas
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