Back when I was much younger, I often joined my friends in celebrating town feasts in the Philippines. These celebrations were truly grand and spectacular. Each house would prepare their own buffets and warmly (and insistingly!) invite anyone to eat. Thanks to their generosity, that day we would have free meals all day long! We even had to plan where and when to visit, deciding which house to visit for breakfast, others for snacks or lunch, so that we won’t stuff ourselves with too much food or worse, risk offending a friend for skipping their house.
There is, however, a common scenario. There would always be some who would come to the feast but were too shy to sit down and eat. Perhaps, they did not want to presume or appear too excited for the free delicious food. Some may dare to be the first to approach the buffet table while others would huddle by the house gates. In that case, the host would approach them and enthusiastically lead the guests to their tables and may even offer them the best food and seats.
Humility
Thinking of this makes me reflect on what humility does to us as what Jesus is teaching us in the Gospel today.
First, humility helps us recognize who we truly are as compared to the greatness of God. It is like waiting at the gates: not out of mere shyness or timidity, but with a deep awareness of the abundance before us—not just of food, but of the divine life God freely offers. He is the goodness Himself, the infinite love, who is most willing to share Himself with us. The same divine light reveals to us our own nothingness, how little we are, how weak we can be, how often we fall, and even the weight of our daily struggles and labors.
This humility grounds us with the truth: the truth of who God is, and the truth of who we are. And in that truth, we acknowledge our wretchedness and our total dependence on Him—for without Him, we can do nothing.
Second, humility attracts God. A good fiesta host would approach the shy guests and lead them in. And much more with God! As Blessed Columba Marmion would say, our miseries attract the Divine Mercy. God goes where we are (isn’t this what happened at the Incarnation, when Christ humbled himself?) and then bring his humble friends towards a higher place, to a better place, to eternal life. The strength we lack, he provides. The sustenance we need, he gives us. And once we are lifted up to be with Him in the eternal banquet, we find true joy in the friendship of God.
Strength in Weakness
Thus, someone who is truly humble would say, “I will all the more gladly boast of my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me […] for when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2Cor 12:9-10) Our weakness does not drive God away; it draws Him closer to us.
May Blessed Virgin Mary, the humble handmaid of the Lord, teach us this humility. For she who said He has looked upon the lowliness of His servant, has been lifted up by God, higher than anyone that all generations are calling her blessed.
[Readings: Sirach 3:17-18, 20, 28-29; Hebrews 12:18-19, 22-24a; Luke 14:1, 7-14]
