Fr. Mike's Gospel Reflection for - Sunday, August 31, 2025

For every one who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.

This weekend, both Sirach and the Gospel extol the importance of humility. Humility, which is a virtue, is the opposite of pride, which is a vice or sin. Someone once said that, “humility is not thinking less of ourselves, but, rather, thinking of ourselves less.” Humility drives us to focus on the accomplishments, hurts, or needs of others. We commit the sin of pride when we focus on ourselves or believe that we matter more than others.

Pride hurts relationships in every aspect of our lives. Whether it is our marriages, our business relationships, our parish relationships, or our sports teams, pride blocks our ability to enter fully into those relationships. When my son was playing baseball and football, I often told him that his personal success was not as important as the success of his team. In other words, being humble means that, “It’s not about YOU!” This is especially true in our relationship with God. The reading from the Book of Sirach reminds us that, the more we humble ourselves, “the greater [we] are, and [we] will find favor with God.”

Jesus challenged the religious leaders because they thought that their leadership positions were about them and their accomplishments. They were so proud of their positions that they forgot the needs of others and the importance of serving others. Jesus led in a very different way. Long before leadership experts coined the phrase, “servant leadership,” Jesus was the ultimate example of a servant leader. He said so Himself, “I came to serve, not to be served.” He acted humbly as a servant and put the needs of others first. His life and teachings show us how important it is to lead with love, compassion, and a servant's heart.

We are all called to follow Jesus’ example of humility and become servant leaders at home, at school, on our sports teams, in our offices, in our parish, and in our community. We do not need “official” leadership positions or titles. We can lead quietly, by inspiring others around us. We can become great leaders and great Catholics by showing compassion and creating a culture of respect and collaboration. Leading with love and humility makes a positive difference.

Fr. Mike