30TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME C
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THE HUMBLE ONE
IS PLEASING TO GOD
The readings this Sunday focus
our attention on the humble person before God. Who is the truly humble
person? The first reading from
Sirach 35 equates the humble with the poor, the one who has no material and
human support from others, the vulnerable. The second reading from St. Paul (2 Tim 4) recalls the
apostle’s abandonment by people he relied on and in the end, he found himself
with God alone to face his difficulties: The Lord stood by me and strengthened
me.
In the eyes of God, the truly
humble is the person who accepts, experiences, realizes his radical poverty in
the world and therefore clings only to the remaining hope – the promises of
God!
In the gospel, the publican prays
with total surrender to God in the temple. The publican is supposed to be rich,
influential, and powerful. Yes, he is hated by most people whose taxes he
collects, but because he has position and property, he must have a good
following among friends. But why is he now humble?
Maybe something happened to him.
He realized that his money cannot buy him happiness. He found that people are
only there for you when you have something to give. He discovered in his life
that only God is faithful from beginning to end, even to sinners who the world
hates and rejects. The publican accepted his radical poverty and now turns his
eyes toward his authentic riches, his relationship with God.
When will we realize that money,
power, connections, or influence are not the true guarantors of life’s
security? Let us turn to the Lord and beg him to have mercy on us, and to be
our heart’s true wealth.
