The Rev. Carlos Cabán of St. John Vianney Catholic Church in Orlando recently reflected on the personal responsibility of the faithful in approaching their daily walk with humility.

Cabán touched on the readings for the week, both that of personal responsibility for accepting the calling to live righteously presented by Ezekiel; and the words of Saint Paul to the Philippians, when he offers the example of humility Jesus showed.

"When the sinner repents of the evil that he did and practices righteousness and justice, he himself saves his life," Cabán said in the church's Sept. 27 bulletin, quoting Ezekiel’s admonishments.

Yet, in practicing righteousness, Cabán noted that it is not possible to claim to follow Christ while pride reigns in one’s life, as the very example Jesus gave was of constant humility. There is no half-measure in the life of the faithful.

“Saying ‘I'm coming, Lord’; but then not going is not what Jesus expects of us, his disciples,” Cabán said. Rather, the example of those who had said “no” but followed anyway, that is the better choice.

“Brothers and sisters, let us not settle for the ‘minimums’ of our faith,” Cabán continued. “In addition to Sunday Mass, as Christians, we are called to work a little more in the vineyard,”. “We cannot say ‘yes’ to the Lord and then go in other directions totally different from the Gospel.

“Let us say ‘yes’ to Jesus. With all the consequences. We must do the will of the Father. The son who said, ‘I don't want to,’ but then went, invites us to reconsider— change our attitude and behavior.”

It is not the place of the faithful to act in fear, but rather in consistent faith.

“May your 'Yes' always be 'Yes,' in humility and obedience as good disciples of Christ,” Cabán said.