HOMILY FOR THE 22ND SUNDAY OF THE ORDINARY TIME OF THE YEAR C
Rev.Fr.
Ezekoka Peter Onyekachi
In soil science, there
is a type of soil known to be humus. Humus
comes from the latin humus which
means earth or ground. It refers to the top-soil horizon that contains
organic matter that influences the bulk density of soil and contributes to
moisture and nutrient retention. Humus contains many useful nutrients for
healthy soil, and is the best soil for agricultural purposes. I have examined
the humus soil because it helps to understand the virtue of humility better. It
shares the same etymology with humility.
Humility is a word that
denotes meekness, modesty, self-effacement and egolessness. Its etymology is also derived from the
latin humus which means earth or
ground. Hence, it is a quality of being down of earth. Humility has always
being one of the great features of great men. The world is more inclined to a
humble leader than a proud leader. Humility is a quality of considering oneself
as nobody even when everyone takes you as somebody. Humility encourages
self-denial, self-emptying, sacrifice and lowliness. Humility teaches us not to
be arrogant and not to flamboyant over our achievements.
The Gospel of today
(Luke 14:1,7-14) focuses on the importance of humility and how humility can
help to increase honour and respect without forcefully demanding it from
people. Jesus used a very understandable illustration to teach his audience who
had gathered for meal at a Pharisee’s house. Having seen how some people were
allotting to themselves positions of honour, and in his wisdom, he ceased the
opportunity to teach them on the importance of humility with an illustration of
a marriage feast. The reasoning is quiet plausible. If there are many invitees
for a feast, why must one take himself to be the most-distinguished person to
the extent of moving straight to occupy the most distinguished position? Will
it not be better and more respectful to go to a lowly place, and then be asked
to come up to a high place, than to go a high place and be dishonoured by
sending you down to lower place? This is an illustration which unequivocally
brings to our consciousness that pride goes before a fall.
Hence, if pride goes
before a fall, then humility goes before an upliftment. If you want to be
uplifted, the simple formula is to exercise humility in whatever thing you are
doing. The First Reading (Sirach 3:17-18, 20, 28-29) states it clearly that
humility attracts love and greatness. Humility attracts favour from the Lord. At
the working place, no person prefers an arrogant man to be promoted. But
mention the name of the humble man, everyone becomes happy. We must make effort
to become humble, for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one
who humbles himself will be exalted. Humility must teach us to let go of
unnecessary vain glory and ostentations that are inimical to the simple life of
Jesus Christ who is, as the second Reading (Hebrews 12:18-19, 22-24a) tells us
the mediator whose sacrificial blood speaks more insistently than Abel’s.
Yes, humility is a
virtue of letting-go. It helps one to consider the other first than to consider
his/her self worth or importance. A humble person gives out his beddings to a
visitor and lies on a mat, seeing that the visitor has not come to stay
perpetually. A humble person permits certain insolent words from people,
knowing fully well that those words do not define him. A humble person fills
his/her thoughts with the way to help the society. A humble person realizes
that many persons are higher than him, and so bends down to learn more from
experience and from fellow persons.
In order to maintain a
humble spirit and lifestyle, we must have it at the back of our minds that our
knowledge is limited. No human being knows it all. One can only be a specialist
in a field. No one can know everything that every man knows. At some point, we
must need the other for questions, guidance and admonitions. However much
knowledge we have received or acquired, we still have very little. However
important we may take ourselves to be, we must also realize the fact that death
is a leveller. The poor dies and the rich dies too. The biological degradation
that accompanies the body of man is the same for everyone regardless of how
most-distinguished a person has been.
To be humble, we must
also learn to compare ourselves with some gifted individuals. As a musician,
watch some other musicians who perform better than you do, and learn to grow humble.
As a merchant, your success is linked to another who supplies you with the
materials that help you to increase your merchandize. The most important
comparison is this. If we place our lives besides the limpid life of God who is
the author of life, and see our unworthiness in comparison with his radiance
and stainless purity, I believe pride will be chased away, and
self-satisfaction will be shrivelled up.
Concluding from our
point of departure, the humus soil has many things to teach us about humility.
The humus soil is on the ground. It is the best soil for farming. It contains
enough nutrients that assist the crops. It contributes to moisture retention
for the other types of soil. The humus soil is the one that enables crops to
yield fruits for man. Now, humility teaches us to be down to earth
(just as the humus soil is) as being on the ground makes us to be foundational
and fundamental in people’s life. We become formidable and many people will
like to build on us (edifices of trust, love, prayer, hope and faith). People
are attracted to humble persons as Humility shapes relationship to become the
best (just as humus is the best soil for farming). Humility is the base of many
Christian virtues and helps one to live out the other with some lesser effort;
and so has many ingredients which keep it as the base of all virtues (just as
humus contains nutrients). Humility is out-going, for it does not focus on
self-gratification, but exists for others (just as the humus soil helps the
other types of soil to retain nutrients). Humility facilitates growth and
development, spiritually and materially (just as the humus soil helps crops to
grow).
My prayer is that the
world will learn this virtue as it transforms our lives. Amen. God bless you as
I wish us a blessed week.
Dedicated to Rev. Fr.
Ngonadi Henry Chigozie (for whom I preached at his solemn mass of thanksgiving).
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