Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 14,1.7-14.
On a sabbath Jesus went to dine at the home of one of the leading Pharisees, and the people there were observing him carefully.
He told a parable to those who had been invited, noticing how they were choosing the places of honor at the table.
When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not recline at table in the place of honor. A more distinguished guest than you may have been invited by him,
and the host who invited both of you may approach you and say, ‘Give your place to this man,’ and then you would proceed with embarrassment to take the lowest place.
Rather, when you are invited, go and take the lowest place so that when the host comes to you he may say, ‘My friend, move up to a higher position.’ Then you will enjoy the esteem of your companions at the table.
For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
Then he said to the host who invited him, “When you hold a lunch or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or your wealthy neighbors, in case they may invite you back and you have repayment.
Rather, when you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind;
blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”
Humble, Water, Pure
Peace to all my brothers and sisters listening in today
- Humble When St Augustine was asked what are the three most important virtues of the spiritual life he answered humility humility and humility. CS Lewis wrote that humility is not thinking less of ourselves but thinking of ourselves less. This self forgetfulness is clearly seen in the life of Saint Teresa of Liseaux whose little way revolved around the access “not I but You” She always strove to be little and that continually, even comparing herself to a grain of sand, the hidden symbol of poverty and littleness which never attracts attention. She wrote to her sister Agnes that she hoped to “always remain a little grain of sand, very obscure hidden from all of eyes, that Jesus alone may be able to see it.” A little grain of sand does not desire to be humiliated that would still be too much glory since it would involve it’s being noticed, it desires but one thing, to be forgotten counted as not but only desires to be seen by Jesus. In this way she sought “to disappear in order to love” Today’s parables about feast etiquette speaks of how we can apply humility in concrete ways, specifically how we can prepare for the banquet in the kingdom of heaven already while we are here on earth. Both the guests and the host are called to be humble.
- Water Practically speaking this means as a guest, not seeking the prominent or first place, That means don’t try to get the best seats of honor to impress others. Seeking social status only feeds our ego and an inflates our sense of self importance. Remember St Agustine said “It was pride that turned angels into devils and it’s humility that makes men as angels” Jesus said of himself I am gentle and humble of heart. Let us imitate him, who did not grasp equality with God something to be grasped at but emptied himself in the form of a slave. Rather than trying to draw attention to ourselves let us follow the wisdom of St Francis who said we should be humble like sister water which always seeks the lowest place.
- Pure The host is encouraged to be unselfish and generous, inviting everyone without expecting anything in return. We should avoid an alterior motive of looking for our own advantage and being calculating in only inviting those people who we can gain something from. If not we are really not serving them a feast but using it to serve ourselves and thus using people as a means to an end. We are called rather to reach out in charity and help the lowly, and invite those who cannot repay us in anyway. That is not only manifesting true love the nature of which is always other centered and gratuitously given, but as Jesus reminded us…. When you did it to the least of these you did it to me. In this way Jesus says we will build up treasure in heaven.
May God bless your name of the father son and the Holy Spirit amen
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