Twenty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

The Goal of Preferring our Brother

August 28, 2016

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(By: Tess A. Morata)

 

 

In Luke 14:7-14 Jesus told a parable that taught His followers about proper attitudes.  In the parable, there were people who chose the most honored seats for themselves at a wedding feast. He said they would be embarrassed when the host asked them publicly to take their rightful, lower place.  Jesus went on in His story to talk about whom to invite to such dinners.  He said His followers should not invite friends and family, but “When you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame and the blind.  And you will be blessed because they cannot repay you.”  Whatever your family background and situation in life, does it matter to you whether or not you sit in the most honored seat?  Humility is a pre-requisite for a Christian because it is a heart attitude, and there are many ways to practice it.  What can we do now to humbly serve our brother?  Humility in action is significant, for it holds us together.  This is especially important in our relationships with each other.

 

Was there a time when you didn’t have much, but still shared what you had with your neighbor?  Or in your struggle to meet your own needs, do you still want to help other people?  I believe God teaches us to have more faith, and wants us to trust Him that He will take care of even our smallest needs.  It is always good to be use as a channel of God’s blessings.  Hebrews 12:10 says, ‘be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another’.  When the opportunity arises, true Christian kindness is exactly the right thing to give to our brothers and sisters in Christ.  True Christian love helps those who can’t return the favor.  Reach out to the homeless, the hungry or the broken hearted, and pray for them.  Whatever it is, simple or not, placing our brother’s need before our own confirms our commitment to each other through Christ’s humility.  Let’s get involved in the lives of others and tell them about our Lord Jesus. We must be drawn by Christ’s love to reach out to those who don’t know Him.  The ultimate goal is His glory and not our own.