Humility and Selfless Love

31st Sunday in Ordinary Time  5 November 2017

First reading

Malachi 1:14-2:2,8-10

I am a great king, says the Lord of Hosts, and my name is feared throughout the nations. And now, priests, this warning is for you. If you do not listen, if you do not find it in your heart to glorify my name, says the Lord of Hosts, I will send the curse on you and curse your very blessing. But you, you have strayed from the way; you have caused many to stumble by your teaching. You have destroyed the covenant of Levi, says the Lord of Hosts. And so I in my turn have made you contemptible and vile in the eyes of the whole people in repayment for the way you have not kept to my paths but have shown partiality in your administration.
  Have we not all one Father? Did not one God create us? Why, then, do we break faith with one another, profaning the covenant of our ancestors?

                

Second reading

1 Thessalonians 2:7-9,13

Like a mother feeding and looking after her own children, we felt so devoted and protective towards you, and had come to love you so much, that we were eager to hand over to you not only the Good News but our whole lives as well. Let me remind you, brothers, how hard we used to work, slaving night and day so as not to be a burden on any one of you while we were proclaiming God’s Good News to you.
  Another reason why we constantly thank God for you is that as soon as you heard the message that we brought you as God’s message, you accepted it for what it really is, God’s message and not some human thinking; and it is still a living power among you who believe it.

Gospel

Matthew 23:1-12

Addressing the people and his disciples Jesus said, ‘The scribes and the Pharisees occupy the chair of Moses. You must therefore do what they tell you and listen to what they say; but do not be guided by what they do: since they do not practise what they preach. They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on men’s shoulders, but will they lift a finger to move them? Not they! Everything they do is done to attract attention, like wearing broader phylacteries and longer tassels, like wanting to take the place of honour at banquets and the front seats in the synagogues, being greeted obsequiously in the market squares and having people call them Rabbi.
  ‘You, however, must not allow yourselves to be called Rabbi, since you have only one master, and you are all brothers. You must call no one on earth your father, since you have only one Father, and he is in heaven. Nor must you allow yourselves to be called teachers, for you have only one Teacher, the Christ. The greatest among you must be your servant. Anyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and anyone who humbles himself will be exalted.’

Reflection

by Art B. Reyes

I remember a story told by my mother when I was a kid about a farmer in our province. This man went to a car dealership to look and purchase a vehicle. Being a farmer, he did not bother to dress up like a typical “buyer” would look like. Dressed in his old wrinkled polo, a pair of faded pants, and slippers; he went and looked around the cars displayed on the showroom. He asked an agent coming by him but was ignored. Another agent came in but he was just passed by in spite of his requests to be attended upon. So he just walked away knowing that no one would bother to help him. On his way out someone accidentally bumped him, and his belonging scattered. His bayong burst out a pool of bundled money enough to buy a car or two!

Sad to say, we have seen this not a few times in our daily lives. In the world we’re living we become slaves of and are judged by our appearance, our title, position at work, and class in society. In our Gospel today, the message is clear: “We are better, we are more precious.” We are better and more precious than the brand label on the clothes we wear, the places where we live, the cars we drive, and all the other consumer items we surround ourselves. None of these things, says Jesus, makes a person great.

A great person is the one who serves, but the person who uses his or her gifts for the welfare of others, whose whole life is dedicated to making this world a better place for others to live in, is the greatest! Greatness is seen in selfless love!

Let us all take time to bow our heads and kneel before God and acknowledge that we as Christians are servants and humble followers. Remember in prayer a moment when we felt humbled as we served the poor, the needy, and offer this to God as thanksgiving. 

Prayer

Lord, unworthy I might be, make me a servant. Make me live a life of obedience and humility so that I may become a selfless agent of Your love. Amen.