Homily for August 31, 2025

I was celebrating a Mass recently where I could hear the children’s responses more clearly than the adults! I wanted to say: “The children are setting the example here!”   Then, listening to a podcast, two people were debating whether children should be brought to Mass.   To me that has never been a question:   Of course you bring them to Mass. Even if they don’t yet receive Holy Communion, there are graces that the children also receive being active participants in the Mass (according to their capacity & ability).   All this led me to remember & reflect on my experience of Mass as a child.

My childhood parish church has a slightly bigger capacity than (this church/Holy Ghost’s).We sat on the back half of the church, close to the main doors.    I have so many memories there: I don’t remember being baptized, but I remember going to Mass every Sunday.   I remember wanting to be a Lector like the ones I saw at Mass.   I remember once walking down the aisle, captivated by the Altar Servers.   I even remember parts of some homilies.   And, today’s Gospel, is one of those that I remember most clearly hearing as a child and even quoting to my parents at home.   When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not recline at table in the place of honor… 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.”

At the time, I didn’t understand that Jesus isn’t only talking about wedding banquets/parties. But He’s obviously talking about the way we see ourselves in relationship with others on a daily basis.   While the Pharisees were observing Jesus, He was observing them! And He gave them a lesson from what He saw at the dinner table. That we so easily become self-righteous when given a small opportunity; we want to take the places of honor for ourselves just b/c we were invited to this party!   I remember thinking: ‘Jesus is shielding us from embarrassment!’   But, He is doing more than that; Jesus is teaching us a bigger picture of life in a fatherly way.

The first reading, from the book of Sirach, is much more direct. It’s more like when a father/mother sits down with their child to directly teach things he/she should know.  We read this book as wisdom from God the Father to us:   My child, conduct your affairs with humility, and you will be loved more than a giver of gifts.   Humble yourself the more, the greater you are,   and you will find favor with God.   The Pharisees were not open to listen like a child, so Jesus had to apply it for them: Do not recline at table in the place of honor!

There’s a book called, All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten. Although I haven’t read it, I’ve heard good reviews about it.   What I gather is that those basic / elemental parts of life are things we learn early on: Share everything; Play fair; Don’t hit people; Clean up your own mess; Say you’re sorry when you hurt somebody, etc.  |  
 I love referencing Jesus’s words: Let the little children come to me.   Our adolescents/ children here are listening to His word.   The most important part of the Liturgy of the Word is not the homily—it's the Gospel reading!   We are all here, not so much to listen to me, but to listen to the Holy Spirit—Who speaks to us in varied ways. Sometimes through the Scriptures, sometimes through the prayers, or through a word in the homily, in someone’s smile, by the kind welcome of the ushers, in the Holy Water—you name it!   Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.

Children are open to learning!   Jesus is speaking to the Pharisees like the little children they should become: When you are invited, go and take the lowest place… for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.

I am saying this to the parents, b/c I see your struggle in bringing your children to Mass! I sometimes see you walking in 5 min. after we started: I want to clap b/c you are here!   Sometimes it’s difficult enough to get ourselves to Mass; let alone 2, 4, 6 children and a husband along with you! It’s hard work, and you are doing it!        I can only speak from personal experience, obviously,   so I will say: Your children are listening; they are more attuned to the Holy Spirit than we are, sometimes.

But the overall message is for all of us here!   Sometimes I am the Pharisee who forgot what I learned in kindergarten—and I take the place of honor… only to be embarrassed in front of everyone.   Humility is one of the greatest and most foundational virtues.   W/o humility, we cannot enter heaven b/c we are full of pride.   That’s how high the stakes are!   Humble yourself the more, the greater you are,   and you will find favor with God.

And, b/c humility is a virtue, it means that we have plenty of opportunities to practice it!   The smallest act of humility   is practice for the great acts of humility,   but we cannot do it backwards.   We cannot say: ‘I’ll be humble when something big comes my way; I’ll just let this little thing slide.’   It’s not going to work; you will not know how.   Hence my focus is on children and the youth here. St. John Bosco is remembered greatly for teaching the marginalized youth who had little instruction. Teaching them what they/what we need to learn in kindergarten!

We like to say that “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks” to get ourselves out of trying.   But, not b/c we didn’t learn the basics of humility/charity/patience/chastity, as a child,   does it mean that it’s over/‘I’m a lost cause.’   We need to work harder and against the pride what we have learned, not only in childhood but through decades of our lives.   Approaching the Eucharist knowing that Jesus gives us the grace to become more humble like Him.

So, Jesus’s lesson remains the same for children & adults/for his disciples or for the Pharisees: Go and take the lowest place,   i.e., ‘don’t make yourself more important than you are,’   but conduct your affairs with humility… and you will find favor with God.