"Humble Yourself the More" - 22nd Sunday Homily

The Minneapolis shooting was a double whammy.

It involved children and in a Catholic church during mass.

Wednesday was a tough, tough day for all of us.

We were praying for those directly affected ever since.

I did get words of comfort from nearby faith leaders of other congregations expressing their condolences, offering prayers, and that was really helpful and beautiful.

a word of encouragement from a parishioner here with the eye to our outreach center.

Our new outreach center with a big focus on mental health.

We have a counselor on site.

And the parishioner who with this in mind said that can prevent a tragedy from happening here.

As I said a while ago, have, as far as security goes here, undercover security at almost every mass.

And we have the emergency access to be aware of front right and back left.

The theme of humility in the readings today help considerably with mental health.

Humility is honesty, it's knowing the truth about ourselves and about God and seeing ourselves as God sees us.

To see our true identity, not what's dictated by those around us or society.

Our role in the world and in the Church, our purpose.

To know thyself.

It's good mental health going back to Socrates and through Jesus Christ.

To know thyself and examine thyself.

Not to be consumed with self, at least in narcissism.

And the challenge for our young people and younger adults

They can obsess so much with how others see them.

So much time on that and such little time truly examining themselves in the ways I'm talking.

But to know thyself is to know thy limitations.

So from the book of Sirach, what is too sublime for you, not.

Like it may not be for you.

And Jesus gives this image in the parable about going to a seat at the table at a banquet, it's not for you.

In other words, we exalt ourselves, we're going be humbled.

And he says, whoever exalts himself will be humbled.

One who humbles himself will be exalted.

So humble yourself all the more, the greater you are, and you'll find favor with God.

So in our minds, whether it's a banquet seat or a project or some goal in life, if we humble ourselves and take the lowest seat or the lowest place or the lowest goal,

position.

God will take us up.

If we have that humble approach, He will exalt us.

And maybe you've experienced this already in life.

Look back on Wednesday.

and see how the heroes are exalted and will be forever.

You know, they have the older kids walking the younger kids to mass and sitting with them.

When the shots rang out, they covered the little kids, protecting them.

So heroicly, so humbly.

So contrast the narcissism of the shooter with the humility of the heroes.

True heroes are exalted because they're humble.

They're humble at heart and humble in their hearts.

And God dwells in a humble heart.

When he says, the Lord says, when you have a banquet, invite the poor.

And that's what he does here in this Eucharistic banquet.

He invites us.

And we humble ourselves and you get on your knees and take the lowest place in your heart meaning, Lord thank you for inviting me who is poor.

You humble yourself the more, the greater you are.

You might have had a great week and you're kind of puffed up.

I walk in here sometimes like that and he's like, what are you doing?

You're a pastor, you're a priest, get humble, Father.

We come here humble and recognizing that he's invited us who are poor and crippled and lame.

in our different ways.

Humble yourself the more, the greater you are, and you will find favor with God.