Mobility, Humility, Fidelity (2025-08-10, 19th Sunday)

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 Homily 2025-08-10, 19^th Sunday ●● Wisdom 18:6-9 ●●Psalm 33 ●● Hebrews 11:1-2, 8-19  ●● Luke 12:32-48 ●●

 Mobility, Humility, Fidelity – The Habits of Readiness

In today's Gospel, our Lord describes what it means to be entrusted with something.

          Our Lord also describes and prescribes the habits and mindset required to be part of His kingdom—His community, His Church. I believe these 3 habits, which I call mobility, humility, and fidelity, are not just ideals for “church/religion”  and heaven someday, but the pattern for living the best life we can *right now*.

These are the qualities that shape strong families, healthy communities, and faithful disciples. I’ve been blessed to learn them from leaders, teachers, --and from you, our parishioners, and other priests—and I’ll admit, I’m still learning how to live them fully myself.

And they’re not just for those with titles or offices. Every one of you is a leader in some way—in your home, your workplace, your friendships, and here in our parish.

The Call to “Lead Up"

One thing I hope we never lose at Lourdes is the ability to “lead up”, to exercise leadership from every level upward. Leadership isn't just a top down endeavor.

[[ And of course, you know this and young people know this very well  à that we don't trust leaders just because they have a title, just because they have an office or just because they dress a certain way, we trust them because of their authenticity and their integrity. ]]

Leadership also happens when people share information, ideas, and needs with those entrusted with guiding the community.

Early in my priesthood, a generous donor approached me, wanting to help a needy family in the parish. I didn’t know who to connect him with until a trusted parishioner pointed me in the right direction. That family received help—but it only happened because I, the leader, was also willing to be led in a particular direction.

That’s part of the picture Jesus paints in His parable: a master returns from a wedding and does the unexpected—He serves His servants. True leadership in God’s kingdom doesn’t cling to power; it moves quickly to act, to serve, and to care. That brings us to the first habit.

 

1. Mobility – Being Ready to Respond

Jesus tells us to be like servants who await their master’s return—alert, awake, ready to move.

A prominent YouTube podcaster and Pastor Craig Groeschel once described this in practical terms: *be a no-snooze person.* A University of Notre Dame study found that 57% of people hit the snooze. I am often among the 57% who hit the snooze.

But, you don't need a university study to know that if you wake up just one hour earlier each day for a year, you gain 365 extra hours—about 15 full days of additional time. Think of what you could do with that: 15 more days of prayer, more rest, more service. 15 more vacation days!

St. Josemaría Escrivá called this “the heroic minute”—getting up right away and beginning the day with purpose. In Gethsemane, Jesus urged His disciples not to fall asleep but to watch and pray.

I recognize that not everyone is a morning person, yet being intentional early in the day can help to shape our day, week, and life. (Jesus also woke up his disciples from actual sleep in the Garden of Gethsemane at his Passion!)

Mobility means readiness: in our spiritual lives, our family responsibilities, and our service to others. It’s the ability to move when the call comes, not later, not when it’s convenient.

And mobility naturally leads to the second habit—because if we are ready to act, we must also be ready to act for the sake of others.

 

2. Humility – Putting Others First

Humility isn’t just avoiding self-praise. It’s choosing, in big and small ways, to place someone else before ourselves.

[[What is “being humble”? Well, humility does involve, for example, not boasting about our accomplishments. Sense. But humility is not just something we practice to gain popularity so that people will not know about our accomplishments. Humility is about serving others. ]]

Think of the ritual of the sacrament of baptism. The very first question asked of the parents is not, “Do you believe in God?” but, “What name do you give your child?” Even before declaring their own faith, the parents name the child—putting that new life first, by name.

Leadership of any kind—whether you are a parent, a spouse, a teacher, or a volunteer—always tempts us to make things revolve around ourselves. I know I can fall into that trap.

 

 

[[We tend to make things revolve around ourselves. The trajectory of leadership is me.  All roads lead to me, not to Rome. I've experienced this myself, but Jesus shows us another way. ]]

In the parable, the master himself serves his servants. In the Gospel, the Son of God kneels to wash His disciples’ feet.

Humility is not weakness. It’s strength directed toward someone else’s good. And humility prepares the ground for the third habit—because to keep putting others first, we need staying power.

 

3. Fidelity – Staying Faithful Through Failure

Mother Teresa of Calcutta once said, “God does not call us to be successful; He calls us to be faithful.”

Fidelity means staying committed to what is right—even when the results are invisible, even when we stumble along the way. In fact, failure is not the enemy of fidelity. Failure is the friend of fidelity.  Failure means we are trying, risking, and growing - and encouraging others to do the same.

 

[[The Divine Mercy Prayer reflects this. Have mercy on us and on the whole world. Have mercy on my trespasses. Have mercy on the trespasses against me.]]

 

Some of my greatest gratitude is for mentors who gave me room to make mistakes, but also the encouragement to try again. Each of us is a work in progress in God’s hands. Fidelity keeps us showing up, day after day, even when we’re tired, even when the fruit isn’t obvious.

Bringing It Together

Mobility keeps us alert and ready. Humility ensures we move for the sake of others, not just ourselves. Fidelity keeps us moving and serving even when the road is hard.

This is what the Master in the Gospel models: He returns unexpectedly, not to be served, but to serve. This is what our parish can model for the world—a place where people respond quickly to God’s call, put others first, and keep showing up in faith.

My hope and prayer is that Our Lady of Lourdes will be this type of community:

·       Where we respond without delay when God prompts us.

 

·       Where we choose the good of another over our own comfort.

·       Where we remain faithful, knowing God’s plan for us is merciful and good.

 

That plan includes FIDELITY.

It is a profession of in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting.

END OF HOMILY