SCRIPTURE
Now on a sabbath day he had gone for a meal to the house of one of the leading Pharisees; and they watched him closely. He then told the guests a parable, because he had noticed how they picked the places of honour. He said this, ‘When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take your seat in the place of honour. A more distinguished person than you may have been invited, and the person who invited you both may come and say, “Give up your place to this man”. And then, to your embarrassment, you would have to go and take the lowest place. No; when you are a guest, make your way to the lowest place and sit there, so that, when your host comes, he may say, “My friend, move up higher”. In that way, everyone with you at the table will see you honoured. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the man who humbles himself will be exalted.’
Then he said to his host, ‘When you give a lunch or a dinner, do not ask your friends, brothers, relations or rich neighbours, for fear they repay your courtesy by inviting you in return. No; when you have a party, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; that they cannot pay you back means that you are fortunate, because repayment will be made to you when the virtuous rise again.’
Luke 14:1. 7-14
REFLECTION
A fellow said – ‘bad enough he was in the pub, but now I have to be beside him at Mass’. Said jocosely but the point is that everyone is invited to the banquet of Jesus like the gospel today and we never know who we might meet at Mass.
Strange Ways
Jesus has strange ways of looking on who to invite and who are the most important.
There were strict codes of place-names and seatings at this type of party. Jesus was going to cut through these. He also had upset things earlier by healing a very sick man on the Sabbath. He started talking then about who to invite. No pecking order at his invitation. The narrow door of last week has been pushed wide to let them all in.
The community of Christ doesn’t admit differences that put us down. He was always saying this, and saying it to the proud and haughty. For others, life had taught them to be humble and they could probably enjoy this feast.
Grateful for small things
Humble people are grateful for small and big things; they pray often and easily; they know they have faults no better or worse than most, and know they need God’s mercy; they love children because they are childlike at times, and they know they are not humble all the time. They don’t take themselves too seriously and are compassionate to the faults of others. They know who they are – in one way the least of all, but always loved, always forgiven, always a child of God.
Jesus said, “But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. You will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. You will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”
Luke 14.13-14
In his advice for making guest lists, Jesus prefers those who cannot repay their hosts with a return invitation and with a place of honor at their tables. Luke wants to broaden the circle of those who eat at the tables of the elite rather than tighten the social circle. He wants our guest lists to help distribute food justly rather than cut people off as chronically inferior, deserving distance from us rather than place among us. Luke urges us to seek God’s blessings rather than honored places at earthly meals.
What places of honor might you give up? What would you lose or gain?
