Homily 22nd Sunday of Ordinary Time - August 28, 2022

 Today's readings can be found here.

            At the beginning of the movie The Godfather, a person comes to see Don Corleone to get justice for his daughter.  She was brutally attacked by two boys and ended up in the hospital.  When tried for assault in court, they received a suspended sentence.  The father wanted to pay Don Corleone to get even with them.  Don Corleone was insulted by this offer.  Instead, he wanted the father’s friendship and respect.  Don Corleone takes care of his friends.  Their enemies were his enemies.  The father finally agrees to be Don Corleone’s friend.  Don Corleone says he will do him the favor he asks.  He also tells the father “Someday, and that day may never come, I’ll call upon you to do a service for me.”

            Don Corleone was looking for reciprocity in his relationships.  I do you a favor and then you owe me a favor.  I may never ask you to return the favor, but we understand that you are in my debt.  I believe many of us think this way on some level.  I know I did for a long time.  I was always happy to do things for others, personally or professionally.  But there was an expectation of a favor in return if it was asked.  This is the opposite of what Jesus is asking us to do in today’s Gospel.  Jesus says very clearly, be generous to those that can’t repay us.  Using the image of holding a banquet, Jesus is calling us to serve others.  Our attitude of service should be one of generosity without expectation of repayment.  Later in the Gospel of Luke, Jesus talks about what it means to be a servant.  He reminds us that a master shouldn’t be grateful to their servant simply for doing what they were told.  We should have a similar attitude.  “We are unprofitable servants.  We have done what we are obliged to do.”

            This attitude of service without expectation of gratitude or reciprocity is the beginning of humility.  Our first reading today reminds us to conduct all our affairs with humility.  Additionally, the more we have, the more we should humble ourselves.  All the good things we have come from God.  Our response to these blessings should be the deepest gratitude.  It is the recognition that our blessings are a gift that allows us to be humble.  God asks nothing in return, except for us to love Him and others.  Our alleluia verse tells us we should take up Jesus’ yoke and learn from Him.  Jesus is our model of humility.  In Paul’s letter to the Philippians, he says Jesus, though He was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped.  Instead, Jesus emptied Himself and humbled Himself by being obedient to God.

            How can we follow Jesus’ example and be meek and humble of heart?  We should begin by asking God for the grace of humility.  Being humble in our culture can be difficult.  We live in a time when our lives are on display like never before.  Social media allows us to connect with a great number of people.  But it also makes it easy to focus on ourselves instead of others.  Our culture tells us to focus on our own success first.  Then perhaps we can take care of others.  We need God’s strength and grace to follow Jesus’ example of humility.

            We can practice humility in the things we do every day.  One way to do so is to treat everyone we meet as if they were Jesus.  Jesus tells us the things we do for the least of us we do for Him.  What things can we do for our family members to help them?  Are we ready to help our classmates or coworkers when needed?  How do we treat the people we interact with in our daily activities?  Sometimes all it takes is a kind word to someone having a tough day.  Or perhaps just being patient while waiting in a long line.  Serving others can mean doing little things with great love.  Becoming more humble can start with doing small things.

            Our culture tells us that doing things for others is like a game.  We should keep score of who owes us and what we owe.  Jesus tells us we should do for others without expecting anything in return.  Serving others allows us to learn humility.  We need God’s grace and strength to follow Jesus’ example of service and humility.  Unlike Don Corleone, what can we do for others and not expect anything in return?