02/09/2007 - 22nd SUNDAY in O. T.
- Year C
First Reading Sirach 3: 17-18. 20. 28-29 Psalm 68
Second Reading Hebrews 12: 18-19. 22-24 Gospel Luke 14: 1.7-14
The Letter to Hebrews shows us the important difference between the people
of the Old Covenant and the people of the New Covenant. The people of the Old
Covenant did not dare to stay in the presence of the Lord God. The image of
God they had in their mind was inspiring fear and terror. We, on the contrary,
people of the New Covenant, thanks to Jesus, we are glad to meet with God; this
meeting is a cause of joy and happiness. With Him we find the angels, the spirit
of the righteous ones; of the saints, and especially we are meeting with the
Mediator of the Covenant, Jesus Christ our Lord. He revealed us that God is
a father; He described His love for everyone, the little ones and the big ones,
poor and rich ones; good and bad ones.
In today's Gospel we may see how Christ is attentive for those around Him; for
all of them. His eyes are always open; He sees everyone and what is going on
around Him. His wisdom is for every one, for the guests and the lord; because
even here men' egoistic and proud tendencies are showing themselves. He wants
always to show us the way that is going to the Kingdom of God, whom He came
to proclaim and announce. When He says: "When you are invited by someone
to a wedding party, do not sit in the place of honour…", He thinks of the
invitation to the heavenly wedding God prepared for everyone.
When God invites to His heavenly banquet, we have no to think about merits or
to be better than others; because if you really are better, He knows it surely
and you will not loss anything by sitting at the lowest place. These remarks
of Him were addressed first of all to some Pharisees; they were convinced they
are the first, the best ones in front of God; because they were sure to be able
to observe the Law perfectly, with all its particulars (and the other ones could
no!). Because of this conviction they had a feeling of superiority in front
of other people, and they despised them. But in front of God are righteous and
pleasing to Him not those who observe the Law perfectly, and all his particulars,
but those who love His Son, Jesus Christ, whom he dispatched in this world in
order to love us, to forgive us, to save us. Those who love Jesus know that
to Him belong the merits of saving us, and that He is the source and cause of
our greatness. Those who love Jesus have no need to show themselves as important
and big ones in front of other people, because they know that all men are small
and needy. Man's true greatness lies in the fact of working with God in loving,
especially those who are in need, those who suffer. For this reason you too,
when you give a dinner, try to do as the Lord does; invite those who are not
invited by anyone, are not able to repay you, or can do it only through the
hand of God.
The words of Jesus are re-echoing those of the old Wisdom and are an invitation
for humility. Humility pleases God, because God Himself is humble. When Jesus
invites us to imitate Himself He invites us to imitate especially His humility.
His mother, Mary too, knows that God loves her because of her humility. Humility
does not mean despise ourselves, ignoring our real and true dignity; it means
we have to attribute to God every good we have or do. This kind of humility
becomes then gratitude and desire to imitate, i.e. the desire to be like Him,
generous, pitiful without wait repayment, as He was and still is. This real
and true mental attitude is for us source of happiness because we know we are
on the right way, the way going to the Lord!