Humility in Action

Imagine walking into a room where a long table is set. The candles are lit, bread is warm from the oven, the napkins are neatly folded and the air is filled with conversation. Some guests move quickly to claim the best seats; others stand back, waiting to see where they might best fit. The scene in Luke’s Gospel for the 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Luke 14:1, 7–14) looks much the same. Jesus is a guest at a Sabbath meal in the home of a Pharisee. He notices the quiet competition for places of honor and offers advice that turns the usual order upside down: take the lowest place.

Journeying with Jesus

Jesus turns our world upside down. Journeying with him is a lesson in humility. Being humble is not about making ourselves small or unimportant. It’s about the freedom to step out of the race for recognition, to notice the person next to us, and to give them room to be seen. Right after this moment, Luke tells the Parable of the Great Banquet (Luke 14:15–24). It is not part of this Sunday’s readings, but it continues the theme. The invitations go out, but those first invited are too busy. So the host sends his servant further, out to the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame. Humbly they fill the seats, and the feast begins. This is humility in action.

Living the Gospel

It is about making space at our table for those who have nothing to offer us. It is about giving our time without expecting thanks, and opening our hearts to those we might have overlooked. When we walk with Jesus, we discover that the lowest place is never lonely. It is where Jesus is already waiting for us, ready to serve, ready to share the bread and ready to fill the room with the joy of His kingdom.