22ND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - YEAR C - Gospel (Luke 14:1, 7-14) - THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE
- NHA CHUA CHA
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
FIRST READING - Sir 3:17-18, 20, 28-29
"Humble yourself the more, and you will find mercy in the sight of God."
A reading from the Book of Sirach
My son, conduct your affairs with humility,
and you will be loved more than a giver of gifts.
18 Humble yourself the more, the greater you are,
and you will find mercy in the sight of God.
20 For great is the power of the Lord;
by the humble he is glorified.
28 When the proud are afflicted, there is no cure;
for they are offshoots of an evil plant.
29 The mind of the wise appreciates proverbs,
and the ear that listens to wisdom rejoices.
SECOND READING - Heb 12:18-19, 22-24a
"You have approached Mount Zion and the city of the living God."
A reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Hebrews
18 [a]You have not approached that which could be touched[b] and a blazing fire and gloomy darkness and storm 19 and a trumpet blast and a voice speaking words such that those who heard begged that no message be further addressed to them, 22 No, you have approached Mount Zion and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and countless angels in festal gathering, 23 and the assembly of the firstborn enrolled in heaven,[a] and God the judge of all, and the spirits of the just made perfect, 24 and Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and the sprinkled blood that speaks more eloquently[b] than that of Abel.
GOSPEL OF THE DAY - Lk 14:1, 7-14
"For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
✠From the Gospel according to Luke
1 On a sabbath he went to dine at the home of one of the leading Pharisees, and the people there were observing him carefully. 7 He told a parable to those who had been invited, noticing how they were choosing the places of honor at the table. 8 “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, 9 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. 10 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. 11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” 12 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. 13 Rather, when you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; 14 blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”
22ND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - YEAR C - Gospel (Luke 14:1. 7-14)
THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE
Dear People of God,
The Word of God in today’s Gospel, Jesus wants to teach everyone that one must have an attitude of humility and self-abasement before God and others. Those who are in high positions must become the lowest and the smallest, and must humble themselves to become servants to serve others.
Jesus presented two images to teach people about humility and self-abasement:
First is the image of a person invited to a banquet seeking the highest place to sit: Jesus observed at the banquet, and He saw the image of people who were arrogant and self-satisfied, desiring to be respected and exalted above others, wanting to sit in the highest place at the banquet, and He was not pleased with such people. Due to this, He taught His disciples to live in humility and lower themselves before God and others; when invited to a banquet, humbly sit in the lowest place so that the host himself, who is God, will invite them to sit in the highest place.
God does not want mankind to fall into the trap of arrogance. God makes it known that no one possesses absolute power and might equal to that of God. As a result, out of love and the desire for what is good for mankind, He invites everyone to live in humility and self-abasement before God and before others, for this is pleasing to God. But those who are proud and arrogant do not belong to God but to Satan.
Second is the image of Him who speaks of the host of the banquet: God wants the host, when hosting a banquet, to invite the crippled, the poor, the hungry, and the destitute. These are the ones who truly need to be invited, to be welcomed to the banquet; they are the ones who are in need of the host’s love. These are also the ones whom God Himself invites and welcomes. Hence, today's Word of God teaches those who are arrogant, self-righteous, and prideful, who seek to be respected and exalted by others, to be vigilant—do not invite the rich to receive their praise, their applause, and their repayment. Those who think and act in such ways are not pleasing to God. God always calls everyone to love and welcome the poor, the voiceless, for these are the ones who genuinely need to be received.
Today's Word of God teaches everyone a lesson in wisdom:
– Wisdom is knowing how to live in humility and self-abasement before God and all people, becoming the smallest among all, and becoming a servant to serve everyone.
– Wisdom is knowing how to love and opening one’s arms wide to welcome all people, especially the poor, the lowly, the homeless, and those who are suffering, in despair, and abandoned by society.
Live and practice what God commands, and you will always be pleasing to God and will be placed by Him in a place of honor in His Kingdom.
Thanks be to God. Amen.
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