Scripture:
Philippians 1:18b-26
Luke 14:1, 7-11
Reflection:
"The one who humbles oneself shall be exalted." In this Word, I intend that I will pay attention to those who are wanting to get through to me.
"Listen, please."
Jesus makes his point with the incident of my having to take a lower seat to make room for someone of higher status than I. "Making room for this man" is the act of paying attention to whomever "this man" is today. It has been said that "humility means being at peace with the truth. The "truth" in us is Christ. In some way, shape, or form, Christ is being "exalted" insofar as we welcome the truth. That "welcoming" could be a dying for us. Is that what Paul means when he writes, "I have full confidence that now, as always Christ will be exalted through me, whether I live or die."
A spiritual director once instructed me to identify one way of acting in my day-to-day situation that seems to be based on a different way of seeing things than Jesus teaches. Then, I ask myself, is there anything I can change about that?
Fr. Alex Steinmiller, C.P. is president of Holy Family Cristo Rey Catholic High School, Birmingham, Alabama.