God Always Favours the Humble.

Homily for December 24, 2017.


“He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there will be no end.” Luke 1:32-33.

In the course of the last one week, our readings have tactically brought out certain persons who played very indispensable roles in the story of the birth of Jesus Christ and there have been very great lessons to learn from each of these persons. We have looked at Joseph, Zechariah, Elizabeth and Mary.

Today, we are looking at one Old Testament Character without whom there might not have been Christmas at all – King David. Here is a man who so pleased God as king that God personally promised him an everlasting kingdom. “And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure for ever before me, your throne shall be established forever.” 2nd Samuel 7:16.

Does it occur to you that the coming of Jesus Christ, God made flesh is a direct fulfillment of the promise God made to one man: David? When God told David his kingdom would last forever, God already had in mind how he would send Jesus Christ to the world as a direct descendant of the house of David.

What is it about David that made him so pleasing to God? Was he a saint? Was he spotless and sinless? Not at all. However, one thing that endeared David to the heart of God was David’s humility. Despite being king of Israel, David never forgot his roots, David never forgot how he used to be an ordinary shepherd boy before God made him King of Israel. David never saw himself as some self-made man.

As we read in today’s first reading, David felt so embarrassed that the Ark of God was dwelling a tent while he was living in a house of cedar. For David, this was not right at all. How can I be living in a house of affluence while the Ark of God who made me what I am is just there in a tent? How can I be living in a house of gold while the Blessed Sacrament is out there under a canopy?

You see, if there is one characteristic that David had in common with Mary as we read in today’s Gospel passage, it is this sense of humility and lowliness. Like David, Mary never saw herself as some First Lady rather she was able to say to the Angel: “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; Let it be to me according to your word.” In other words, “I am nothing before God, let God use me as he pleases.” While David opted to build a house for God, Mary agreed to become a living tabernacle for God.

Both David and Mary would become instrumental to the coming of the Messiah yet neither David nor Mary ever became proud and arrogant as a result.

Consider David, he had all the money to build the greatest temple for God, he had everything he needed and he was the commander in chief of the entire nation of Israel. Everyone obeyed him and people fell at his feet, yet, when Nathan told him what God had said regarding building the temple, David did not argue or insist in his decision. Here is a man obeyed by all of Israel, but he chooses to obey the voice of Nathan as the voice of God.

Dear friends, David today teaches us a great lesson in humility. Never forget your root. Never forget that before God, you are nothing. As James teaches us: “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” James 4:6. Even St. Peter admonishes us with similar words: “Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for ‘God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.’ Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that in due time he may exalt you.” 1 Peter 5:5-6.

The second lesson we learn from our readings today is that Building for God is a privilege. Dear friends, we should always consider ourselves lucky when we have the opportunity to invest our resources towards the growth and development of the house of God. The truth is that there is nothing we have that was not given to us by God. As the Isaiah teaches us:

“Thus says the LORD: ‘Heaven is my throne and the earth is my footstool; what is the house which you would build for me, and what is the place of my rest? All these things my hand has made, and so all these things are mine, says the LORD. But this is the man to whom I will look, he that is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word.’” Isaiah 66:1-2.

Once again, Isaiah draws our attention to humility. In the end, Christmas itself is a story of humility; a story of how God stooped so low as to take on the human flesh. There is no better way to conclude this homily than to quote the words of St. Paul: “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death. Philippians 2:5-8.

Let us Pray: Lord Jesus, may my celebration of your birth increase my humility. Amen.

Happy Sunday. Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Fourth Sunday of Advent. Year B. Bible Study: 2nd Samuel 7:1-16, Romans 16:25-27 and Luke 1:26-38).

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