💖 HOMILY - JULY 13 💖

First Reading - Isaiah 10:5-7,13-16

Gospel - Matthew 11:25-27

The rector in my theologate used to remind us often that our well-built body and many secured degrees would bottle down to ruin with little loose motion that we could suffer. What he intended by that is we should not flaunt or brag ourselves of great wealth we have or insurmountable achievements we secure, because they will be accredited for a while but not for life. What matters is our humble life before God. The readings of the day invite us to humble ourselves before God and allow God to reveal Himself to us.

The first reading demonstrates the pride of Assyria and the prophecy of its destruction consequently. The reading evidently shows that the victory of Assyria over the kingdom of Samaria and a part of kingdom of Judah was willed by God as a punishment to the kingdom of Samaria for the idolatry and their other sins. However, the Assyria boasts of its victory and ascribes its victory to its own power and strength which flared God's anger. Consequently, God promises a destruction of the proud kingdom of Assyria. This passage reminds that in everything we must acknowledge God's supremacy and our humility before Him.

The gospel reading of the day exalts the little children because God has revealed Himself to them. Children or babes, in Jewish culture, are seen as those dependent on their parents and thus the symbol of the virtue of humility. When Jesus exalts the children or babes, this refers to dependence of people on God or their humble life. Thus, God has revealed Himself in the person of Jesus to those who are humble before God to accept Jesus as the Messiah or God-face on earth. However, this revelation is hidden from the learned and wise who are seen as the proud and arrogant. 

Dear friends, pride and arrogance can creep in our lives seeing successes and achievements. They are good and we must be proud of that but we should also never forget God after we have had them. We should walk before God humbly even in success or pain, happiness or sadness. God blesses the humble but hates the proud-hearted. Let's never forget that whatever we have is from God. As Magnificat says - God exalts the lowly (humble), thwarts the path of the proud. Our humble acknowledgement of God in our lives with gratefulness will always please God but our pride and arrogance will distance us from God.

May God help us remain humble in every circumstance of our lives.