Luke 14:12-14

Philippians 2:1-4

Psalm 131:1bcde, 2, 3

Luke 14:12-14

On a sabbath Jesus went to dine

at the home of one of the leading Pharisees.

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 sisters

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.”

Opening Prayer: Lord God, teach me the way of humility that leads to the heavenly banquet. Teach me the way of service and generosity that leads to union with you.

Encountering the Word of God

1. Invite the Poor: Throughout the Gospel of Luke, Jesus has warned the Pharisees about their hypocrisy (Luke 11:37-44; 12:1). Exteriorly, they presented themselves as righteous and meticulous in their fulfillment of God’s law, but interiorly, they neglected the love and righteousness of God. They did things only to be seen, honored, and thought well of by others. Jesus has just taught the guests at the dinner not to seek the places of honor (Luke 14:7-11). The path to true exaltation is found in humility. In today’s Gospel passage, he turns his attention to the host of the dinner. He tells him that he has been inviting his friends, relatives, and wealthy neighbors in the hopes of being invited back to their homes. Instead, the man should invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind to his banquets since they cannot return the favor. “God will repay those whom the poor cannot. Those who invite the poor into their banquets on earth – and by extension, help the poor in any way – will be admitted to the banquet in the kingdom of God” (Martin, Bringing the Gospel of Luke to Life, 401). Rather than seek earthly honors and earthly repayment, we should seek heavenly exaltation and heavenly repayment.

2. Humble and United in Heart: In Paul’s Letter to the Philippians, he asks them to contemplate Jesus’ humility. He wants the members of the Church in Philippi to be united in mind and heart. They should be encouraged since they belong to Christ. They should find solace and comfort in their mutual love, sharing in God’s Spirit, and the gift of divine mercy. A Christian should not act in a selfish way or out of vanity. The mark of a true Christian is humility and service, not pride and self-seeking. Paul’s encouragement to humility was contrary to the Roman culture of Philippi, “where one’s place in the imperial pecking order was a matter of great concern and where upper-class men were expected to ambitiously pursue honor” (Hamm, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon, 94). The model of humility is Jesus, who put our interests – our dire need of salvation – ahead of his own.

3. Finding Peace in the Lord: The Responsorial Psalm reminds us that true peace is found in the Lord. It is a psalm of trust. “It advocates humility as the proper spirit of prayer and the way to inner peace. The Psalmist renounces pride (131:1), compares himself to a small child feeling safe in his mother’s lap (131:2), and encourages the people of Israel to draw close to God in the same way (131:3)” (Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: The Book of the Psalms, 130). In our relationship with God, we should not assert ourselves or try to venture beyond the limits of our knowledge. Many things – like the permission of evil and suffering in the world – go beyond our limited comprehension and remain mysteries. The Psalmist envisions himself as a weaned toddler who is content to be in his mother’s arms. We are invited, in this prayer, to trust in God just as such a child trusts in their mother (see Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: The Book of the Psalms, 130).

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you are meek and humble of heart. I am called to learn from you and be united to you. You sought to please your heavenly Father in all things. May I do the same and be content to dwell in the Father’s house.

Living the Word of God: What are my deep motivations when I do something good for others? Am I looking for praise, or thanks, or a return on my investment? How can I more clearly see Christ in others, especially the poor, and serve Christ better?