Reflection for Sunday – September 27, 2026

Readings: Ezekiel 18:25-28, Psalm 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9, Philippians 2:1-11, Matthew 21:28-32 
Preacher: Grace Adams

My parish growing up in the Hudson Valley, held a practice that I have yet to see in a parish since. During communion, the line would start with the pews at the very back of the church, with the front pews being the very last to receive the Eucharist. Growing up I always thought this was the status quo for communion, but after moving to Rochester, I realized this was a unique practice in my church. We always would sing hymns about that the last shall be first and the first shall be last so this made sense.This practice as a young person instilled the faith’s teachings in many ways, especially the transformative role of humility and centering others in our lives. 

Humility is often seen in a bad light. Some often think being “humble” is a weakness or not allowing yourself to step up and be a leader. At its core, humility is giving up control and the 

need to be right. God has always revealed the Kingdom of Heaven to us through the most oppressed and suffering, not through rigidity or rules getting in the way of relationship. We see this from the very beginning of God choosing to come to us first as a human being having the fullness of the human experience, but also being born into a poor, refugee family. 

In the Gospel, Jesus uses the parable of the workers at the vineyards and highlights how true faith is shown not in words but in actions, making a revolutionary statement at the time saying that sex workers and tax collectors will get to heaven before the Pharisees, because true faith is shown in our ability to love and be present with the most vulnerable and suffering.

This practice in honoring humility and seeing God in others actions is what has influenced my faith the most. As I have reflected throughout my life as to why I have stayed Catholic as a young person, various impactful moments have come from where I have witnessed this transformative presence rather than was told about it. These transformative moments have been so, because they have led me outside of myself and my belief system and into seeing the Kingdom of God in others and in perspectives and environments I wouldn’t always expect. I think first of my church community growing up and how much time both the clergy and laity gave up to create an intentional, non-judgemental and community based environment to grow in as a child. I then think about how much I was shown what humility looked like through the election of Pope Francis when I was a Freshman in high school and seeing him in his first Holy Thursday mass wash the feet of young prisoners, rather than celebrating in a basilica in Rome. This action impacted me as a young person seeing someone in a position of authority and leadership honor and love individuals that our society has cast out. In college, I then had the opportunity to go to El Salvador and learn about the U.S. backed civil war that took the lives of 75,000+ individuals, which included Catholic priests and sisters that were standing in solidarity with the poor and oppressed. After 6 Jesuit priests, their housekeeper and daughter were martyred at the UCA (Universidad Centroamericana, the Jesuit university in San Salvador), an American Jesuit, Dean Brackley, immediately stepped up to fill his murdered Jesuit brothers’ place despite the political violence in the country and risk of his life as a Jesuit priest.

Brackley explained that in a society that is always aiming toward upward mobility, the idea of making others’ needs and perspectives at the center doesn’t always fit well, but we are shown that humility creates room for a deeper connection with God. He once spoke on the idea of downward mobility, saying, let us teach solidarity, walking with the victims, serving and loving. I offer this for you to consider – downward mobility. The idea of downward mobility compliments humility, in calling us to respond to the accompaniment of others and creating a community where we can be in true relationship with each other. We must have the courage to lose control like Brackley tells us, and allow the Kingdom of God to be revealed through our actions and being in solidarity with others.