Saturday of the Thirtieth week in Ordinary Time

Today the Church celebrates : St. Quintin, Martyr (3rd century),  St. Wolfgang

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Saint Francis de Sales : “The one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Letter to the Romans 11:1-2.11-12.25-29.

I ask, then, has God rejected his people? Of course not! For I too am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the scripture says about Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel? Hence I ask, did they stumble so as to fall? Of course not! But through their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make them jealous. Now if their transgression is enrichment for the world, and if their diminished number is enrichment for the Gentiles, how much more their full number. I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers, so that you will not become wise (in) your own estimation: a hardening has come upon Israel in part, until the full number of the Gentiles comes in, and thus all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “The deliverer will come out of Zion, he will turn away godlessness from Jacob; and this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins.” In respect to the gospel, they are enemies on your account; but in respect to election, they are beloved because of the patriarchs. For the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable.

Psalms 94(93):12-13.14-15.17-18.

Happy those whom you guide, LORD, whom you teach by your instruction.
You give them rest from evil days, while a pit is being dug for the wicked.
You, LORD, will not forsake your people, nor abandon your very own.
Judgment shall again be just, and all the upright of heart will follow it.
If the LORD were not my help, I would long have been silent in the grave.
When I say, “My foot is slipping,” your love, LORD, holds me up.

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 14:1.7-11.

On a sabbath he went to dine at the home of one of the leading Pharisees, and the people there were observing him carefully. He told a parable to those who had been invited, noticing how they were choosing the places of honor at the table. When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not recline at table in the place of honor. A more distinguished guest than you may have been invited by him, and the host who invited both of you may approach you and say, ‘Give your place to this man,’ and then you would proceed with embarrassment to take the lowest place. Rather, when you are invited, go and take the lowest place so that when the host comes to you he may say, ‘My friend, move up to a higher position.’ Then you will enjoy the esteem of your companions at the table. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB

Commentary of the day :

Saint Francis de Sales (1567-1622), Bishop of Geneva and Doctor of the Church
Conversations 5

“The one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Humility is not just about self-mistrust but about the entrusting of ourselves to God. Distrusting ourselves and our own strength produces trust in God and, from that trust, generosity of soul is born. The most holy Virgin, Our Lady, gave us an outstanding example of this when she spoke these words: «Behold I am the handmaid of the Lord, let it be done to me according to your word» (Lk 1,38). When she said she was the handmaid of the Lord she was performing the greatest act of humility it is possible to do, and all the more so in that she was contradicting the praise given her by the angel – that she would be mother of God, that the child to be born from her womb would be called Son of the Most High, a greater dignity than any we might imagine – I say, she opposed her lowliness and unworthiness to all these praises and greatness by saying that she was the handmaid of the Lord. Yet note how, no sooner had she rendered her duty to humility, than she practised notable generosity by saying: «May it be to me according to your word».

What she wanted to say was that, it is true I am in no way capable of this grace if one is to consider what I am of myself, but insofar as what is good in me comes from God and what you say to me is his own most holy will, I believe it may happen and will happen. And so, without the least hesitation, she said: «Let it be done to me according to your word».