Salesian Sunday Reflection
Twenty-second Sunday of Ordinary Time
August 28, 2022
Today’s readings inform us that humility and generosity are eternal life-giving values. Here are a few of Saint Francis de Sales’ thoughts that permeate his writings on these virtues:
Humility is totally generous and makes us undertake with invincible courage all the tasks that we are called to do. When we are humble, we are exceedingly courageous because we place our total confidence in God, rather than ourselves. In turn, confidence in God gives birth to a generous spirit in us.
Our generous hearts may be full of doubts about our own capacity to do anything. Yet, we must not dwell on our doubts but go on doing what we know will be pleasing to God. When we carry out a task, our doubts arise because we value our reputation too highly. We wish to be masters who never make mistakes. Our dear imperfections that force us to acknowledge our deficiencies give us practice in humility, self-giving love, patience, and watchfulness. In the end, our trials amidst pain enlarge our hearts and increase our courage. God always rejoices in raising us up in our weaknesses.
We should not be troubled at finding ourselves always novices in the exercise of virtue. The whole of our life is destined to be an apprenticeship of learning how to love divinely. The obligation of serving God and making progress in God’s love always lasts until death. While God has ordered us to do all we can to acquire holy virtues, it is for us to cultivate our souls well. Therefore, we must faithfully attend to them. But as for plentiful crops and harvests, let us leave the care of that to our Lord. The laborer will never be blamed for not having a fine harvest unless he did not carefully till and sow his fields. Thus, let us patiently wait for our advance, and instead of disturbing ourselves because we have made so little progress in the past, let us diligently strive to do better in the future.
(Adapted from the writings of St. Francis de Sales)
