Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Sirach 35:12-14, 16-18 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18Luke 18:9-14

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To be humble simply means that I am no greater than anyone else, nor do I have to aspire to be great in this world, because He who dwells in me and He in whom I abide is the greatest of all; Christ Jesus with the Holy Spirit and in union with the Father. Christian humility expresses itself in a way that shows a childlike dependence and neediness and reliance on God, which in every age presents itself as a subversive melody into the cacophony of the world where we have been taught that the older a person becomes, the more independent and self-sufficient and self-sustaining they ought to be. Unless you are under the age of eighteen, handicap, or disabled in some way, the expectation from the world is that you should not have to rely on anyone for anything. Yet, the consistent message from our Eternal Father is that I need you to rely on me for everything, even things as basic and easily acquired or made as water or bread and wine, because I know that you are better with me than you are apart from me.

Ben Sira, the author of Sirach in today’s First Reading from 35:12-14, 16-18 on this 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time also understands what a healthy relationship with God looks like. He writes, “The Lord is a God of justice, who knows no favorites. Though not unduly partial toward the weak, yet he hears the cry of the oppressed . . . the Lord is not deaf to the wail of the orphan, nor to the widow when she pours out her complaint . . . The prayer of the lowly pierces the clouds; it does not rest till it reaches its goal, nor will it withdraw till the Most High responds, judges justly and affirms the right, and the Lord will not delay.” The thing about people who truly need help from God is that they pray not just with their mouths, but deeply with their whole heart, and that is the type of prayer that Ben Sira is saying pulls and tugs at the ears of God.

The Apostle Saint Paul had made his whole life a prayer of humility and a type of liturgy from the very moment he encountered the risen Lord. Paul had become so humble and so dependent on Christ that he no longer identified as himself, but as who he was in Christ; Paul an apostle of Christ; Paul a servant of Christ; Paul a slave of Christ. Here, in today’s Second Reading, from Second Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18, conscious coming to the end of his life, the Apostle sees himself as a type of liturgical offering in writing, “I am already being poured out like a libation.” As he anticipates his reward in Heaven for competing well in this race, he also recalls when he realized that it was the Lord who he could count on to always be there for him, even when man chose not to be. “At my first defense no one appeared on my behalf, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them! But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength, so that through me the proclamation might be completed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was rescued from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil threat and will bring me safe to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory forever and ever. Amen.”

Indeed, the Psalm is true according to the words of Ben Sira and the Apostle
that the “Lord is my strength and my shield, in him my heart trusts; so I am helped
and my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him” (Psalms 28:7).

In the Gospels, Jesus’ parables are
intended to be didactic (instructive) by putting into dialogue and into conflict
two or more types of behaviors. After the conflict has been heard by His
audience, Jesus will then explain what lesson should be learned from it. In the instant case, in today’s Gospel
Reading from Luke 18:9-14, Jesus
has put into dialogue a proud man who He labels a Pharisee