Humility

Today’s reading from Sirach celebrates what will become the theme of today’s Gospel: humility. Pride causes us to demand from others an exalted estimate of our status, but humility allows us to see things more clearly. It allows us a broader perspective. Humility promises us the favor of God and the love of those who know us.

The second reading is a study in contrasts: the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai and the giving of salvation on Mount Zion. The Law’s appearance is greeted with solemnity, mystery, even fear. But Christians are not to be afraid. Coming to God’s mountain with Jesus, “the mediator of a new covenant,” is a happy, exuberant experience.

The parable in today’s Gospel concerns the danger of pride and the necessity of humility. The banquet setting, often used by Jesus, is a symbol of heaven’s abundance and of the fulfillment of God’s promise. The parable is not simply good advice on how to avoid embarrassment; it is about salvation.