30th Sunday in Ordinary Time, C

Between pride and humility

Luke 18:9-14

Jesus' parable opens us to the world of the proud and the humble.

But the book of Ecclesiastes opens us to God's world as judge who rules the world with fairness and equality, decides in favor of the poor and the oppressed, and favors the humble.  In knowing the justice of God do we learn about the life of the humble and the proud.

First, God is a just judge who is fair to all.  The humble man treats everyone with respect.  The proud look only on themselves and looks down on everyone else.

Second, God has preferential option for the poor, the oppressed, the rejected.  The humble man, aside from treating himself as one of the persons mentioned above, is filled with compassion for the poor and the oppressed.  He would do everything to help them up their feet.  The proud will further oppress the poor and justify their poverty.

Third, God loves the humble. The humble becomes a model for all others of a fruitful life that leads to everlasting life.  The proud man's life ends here on earth.

Choose then which one would you prefer to live out: pride or humility?