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.






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