Daily Bible: He Humbled Himself
Today’s first reading is one of my favorite Scripture verses, Philippians 2:5-11. Yesterday we heard Saint Paul encourage the Christians in Philippi to live for others rather than living in pride. In today’s reading he offers Jesus as the perfect example of humility. Notice how Saint Paul describes Jesus’ humility as pouring Himself out for us (the Greek word for “emptied” is kinosis). And the result of Jesus humbling Himself is that the Father exalts Him. Spend some time today meditating on this passage.
Psalm 22:26-32 is a prayer of exaltation of God. While the psalmist was referring to his understanding of God the Father in the old covenant, in light of the first readings we can use this psalm to exult our Lord Jesus as well!
The Gospel from Luke 14:15-24 follows yesterday’s Gospel reading. Jesus is still at the same dinner in the house of the Pharisee, and He tells a parable of a man who invites his friends to a great dinner. But his friends all make excuses and do not come. So instead the man invites the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame. The man in the parable does what Jesus recommended in yesterday’s Gospel, but not to be humble. He does it because he judges that his esteemed friends are no longer worthy of his hospitality. They have betrayed his friendship by taking it for granted. But the helpless will be grateful. The man giving the dinner is, of course, God. The friends who refuse the invitation are the Pharisees and others who pridefully consider themselves the favored of God but who don’t truly love God. Jesus is warning them that they may miss out on dining in the Kingdom of God because of their pride.
Reflection Questions
1. How do you remain humble?
2. Who is someone that you know as a good example of being humble?