SUNDAY GOSPEL – Luke 14:1, 7-14
On one occasion when Jesus was going to the house of a leader of the Pharisees to eat a meal on the Sabbath, they were watching him closely.
When he noticed how the guests chose the places of honour, he told them a parable. “When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not sit down at the place of honour, in case someone more distinguished than you has been invited by your host; and the host who invited both of you may come and say to you, ‘Give this person your place,’ and then in disgrace you would start to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit down at the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher’; then you will be honoured in the presence of all who sit at the table with you. For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” He said also to the one who had invited him, “When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbours, in case they may invite you in return, and you would be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”
Customs surrounding hospitality are deeply embedded in every culture. Normally, we pay little attention to this because we just act “normally.” When we change cultures, however, even simple things like words and gestures of greeting are new, often different. Jesus, in his ministry, took on such deeply embedded, self-serving customs and reversed them in the light of the Gospel reversal of all values. Radical change is always resisted and even today his teaching is put in practice only by the few.
The core teaching in today’s first reading and gospel seems to be against the spirit of our times in at least two ways. As we look around the world, we don’t see humility in practice; rather we see power games, fascism and brute force, such as in Gaza or in the Ukraine. At a more personal level, we are wary of putting people down and are keen to affirm each other.
And yet, the saying about the humble in today’s Gospel occurs not once but twice Luke. What is repeated is important. Even more, there are many parables in Luke to back up this teaching, such as the one today or the Pharisee and the tax-collector. Jesus himself was a model of humility — I am among you as one who serves. So, something important is being said about being a Christian.
POINTERS FOR PRAYER
- The first scene portrays a common dilemma—choosing between a received tradition and what is good in a particular situation. When have I been faced with such dilemmas and how did I respond?
- Jesus consistently places the “good” above the rules, a challenging position for today’s church at a critical juncture. For example, the Catholic tradition of a celibate clergy can result in depriving communities of the Eucharist. Have I had similar experiences in my own sphere of influence?
- In a disturbing way, Jesus upturns the everyday view of social interaction and relationships. The radical call of the gospel can be very threatening and yet we know that this practical expression mirrors the inclusivity of Jesus’ own proclamation. Where do I feel such a radical call and how do I act?