Homily: October 25, 2022, Tuesday of the Thirtieth week in Ordinary time (Subordination)

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We heard in the first reading, “Wives should be subordinate to their husbands as the Lord.”

From where I came from, in the traditional Indian family, the wife and children live in subordination to the man of the household. Well at least outwardly, although mothers-in-law would have some influence over the sons and their households.

However, in this country, the idea of subordination is a real challenge. Not just for wives and husbands. People in America, generally, do not want to be subordinate to anyone. 

I see employees not wanting to be subordinate to employers. Even priests who pledged obedience to the bishop would sometimes challenge his authority too.

We all want to be the boss and expect others to listen to us, respect our opinions and consider our views. This attitude is often misunderstood as confidence and high self-esteem. Is it true?

The truth is pride makes subordination impossible.

So, what is the central idea behind this whole passage? It is love. Love brings about joyful, humble and willing subordination. It is not a sign of incompetence, weakness or lack of self-confidence.

Conversely, it is the one with true strength and grit who has the confidence to allow another person to lord it over him. God, who is the Almighty, chose to be born humble, poor and vulnerable, to become subject and subordinate to humans. He came as a helpless child and subordinated himself to the law.

Why did he do that? Love.

When a wife gives herself to the authority of her husband, it is not because she has no self-confidence or opinion of her own, but because she loves her husband enough to entrust her happiness to him. With the faith that her husband has subordinated himself to the Lord.

And the husband humbles himself to love his wife as his own body. Think about it, the body doesn’t take care of the man, but rather, the man takes care of his body. So should the husband take care of his wife.

The spousal love, the marital union, is a foretaste of the perfect love, the intimate union of God and man, Christ and church.

God is willing and confident enough to give Himself totally to us. Are we willing and trusting enough to give ourselves totally to God?

Amen.

Fr. Nivin Scaria


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