Our Lord Jesus declares in this Sunday’s gospel, “When you go to a party, sit in the lowest place.” Obviously, Jesus, in his hyperbolic way of stressing a point, said that nobody should sit in the “cabisera” or presidential table otherwise a greater guest would arrive. One should rather take the last place and would be honored when he’s called to sit at the presidential chair.

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What Jesus means is a conscious “striving” to consider oneself always lower to others or avoid blowing one’s own horn.

As the book of Sirach puts it: “The greater you are, the more humble you should behave, then you will find favor with the Lord” (Sir 3,18 –first reading).

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Humility is truth. Being humble doesn’t mean suppression of one’s personal attributes or an abject self-depreciation.

It doesn’t consist in a beautiful woman calling herself ugly, or an intelligent man calling himself stupid otherwise it's false humility.

Remember: Jesus proclaimed, “Learn from me for I am meek and humble of heart” and likewise said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” Mother Mary in her song of the “Magnificat” openly said, “Henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.”

While Jesus and his mother never denied their lofty standings, they never boast or blow their trumpet publicly like the hypocrites did.

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Humility is also gratitude. A humble person knows how to thank God for blessings of wealth and talents he or she has received. A certain well-off benefactor wrote to me, “Father, I donate to your Adopt-A-Seminarian scholarship program because my wealth did not come from me alone but from God.”

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There are also wealthy businessmen who put up foundations that support poor students; others share their resources to the less fortunate by providing jobs.

The humble man remembers that all he is, and all that he has, comes from God. Unlike the proud man, the humble does not mistake the gifts of God for his own sole achievement.

Let’s follow the example of the Lord who said, “Anyone who humbles himself will be exalted.” Let’s do this not only in words but more in action.

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A humble dog? There's an amusing fable about a smart dog who talked out his two friend-ducks to fly him from north to south.

The dog prepared for the trip by tying the ends of a long, stout cord to each of the duck's necks. With his strong jaws he grabbed the cord at its middle and the trio took off.

The journey was going well until someone on the ground looked up and, marveling at the ingenuity, he shouted, “Hey, that's terrific! Whose idea is it?”

In his eagerness to grab the credit, the proud dog opened his mouth to say “M-I-N-E!” letting go of his bite... And the man on the ground had dog meat for supper!

That fable might well illustrate Jesus' teaching: “He who prides himself will be humbled” (Lk 14, 11).