Over the past two weeks, we’ve been on a journey with Jesus where He has encouraged us to help make our faith on fire. Two weeks ago, we were reminded how the Lord lights the fire of faith in our hearts – not a faith that is meant to be safe or tame, but a blaze that transforms us and the world around us. Last week, He pointed us to the narrow way, challenging us to commit ourselves to the daily discipline of following Him. And today, He shows us the quality that we need for that journey: a humble heart.

In the Gospel, Jesus is at a banquet. Everyone is watching Him, but He’s watching them too. And what does He notice? People scrambling for the best seats, the places of honor. They wanted recognition, status, influence. Jesus uses that moment to teach them: don’t rush for the places of honor. Instead, be content with the lowest place, be content with not being the center of attention. In the end, those who are humble will be the ones who are lifted higher, who are invited to sit in those more distinguished places.

It’s a lesson that never goes out of style. Human beings have always chased after honor, attention, or importance. We measure ourselves against others; we compare our successes to the successes of those around us. We want to be noticed, we like to be appreciated. But Jesus turns it upside down, He flips the script. He says that in God’s Kingdom, greatness comes from humility and service.

In the Book of Sirach, we see this idea reinforced. It says: “The greater you are, the more you must humble yourself.” That’s not weakness. Humility is strength under control. It’s the virtue that makes room for God to be God, instead of us trying to play that role.

But what exactly is humility? Humility is not self-hatred, nor is it pretending that we have no gifts or worth. True humility is seeing ourselves as God sees us: nothing more, nothing less. It is the freedom of knowing that we are loved and created by God, and that every talent, every blessing, every success we have is ultimately a gift from Him. Humility keeps us grounded in truth. It reminds us that without God, we can do nothing, but with Him, we can do great things.

The humble person doesn’t deny the good in their life—they simply recognize its source. They can rejoice in their accomplishments, but they also give credit where credit is due: to the Lord. In that sense, humility is not about making ourselves smaller, but about making God greater in our lives. C.S. Lewis once said: “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less.” It’s living in such a way that the spotlight is on God, not on us.

Sometimes humility looks very simple:

• It’s letting someone else go first.
• It’s serving without needing thanks.
• It’s listening before speaking.
• It’s helping someone who can’t repay us.

Humility is the capstone of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus because it orders everything in our lives. A faith ablaze without humility risks turning into arrogance; a disciplined walk on the narrow path without humility risks pride. But when our hearts are grounded in humility, our zeal, our passion can become purified. It helps our steps remain steady and keeps our eyes fixed on God.

The fire He has lit, the narrow way He calls us to walk, and the choices we make along the journey are all held together by humility. It is the invisible backbone of a faithful life. Without it, even the brightest faith falters. But with it, our hearts remain open, our path steady, and our lives oriented toward the eternal banquet God has prepared for us.

As we leave this place today, after encountering the Lord more deeply, let Him continue to set our hearts on fire; walk with Him through the narrow gate; and do it all with a humble heart. Because in the end, the lowest seat at the table may turn out to be the one closest to Jesus Himself.

Image: Christ and disciples at table in the house of Symeon the leper, with Mary Magdalen and Martha serving. Wikimedia Commons. This file is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.