Lk 14:1, 7-11
One Sabbath Jesus had gone to eat a meal in the house of a leading Pharisee, and he was carefully watched.
Jesus then told a parable to the guests, for he had noticed how they tried to take the places of honor. And he said, “When you are invited to a wedding party, do not choose the best seat. It may happen that someone more important than you has been invited, and your host, who invited both of you, will come and say to you: ‘Please give this person your place.’ What shame is yours when you take the lowest seat!
Whenever you are invited, go rather to the lowest seat, so that your host may come and say to you: ‘Friend, you must come up higher.’ And this will be a great honor for you in the presence of all the other guests. For whoever makes himself out to be great will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
REFLECTION
“From presumption restrain your servant and let it not rule me.
Then shall I be blameless, clean from grave sin” (Ps 19:14).
Yes, in both the Old and the New Testaments we have many admonitions against pride. Jesus shows especially his predilection for humility which we can observe in his life and in his teachings.
Today, he observes the guests taking the places of honor, and he gives a simple lesson. The motive to be restrained from first places is very human. It is a matter of shame if another guest more important arrives after you and a matter of honor if you are at the lowest seat. But beyond the case at the house of the Pharisee, can we imagine the distribution of places in the banquet of the wedding of the Lamb, in the House of the Father forever? Maybe, people who shone on earth, even in the Church, will find their eternal seat in a very modest seat and many humble and unknown saints will be placed near the mystical throne of the Father and the Lamb. After their obscure life on earth, the charity of their hearts will shine before all.
Let us recall Jesus and Mary and follow their example of humility.
CLARETIAN COMMUNICATIONS FOUNDATION, INC.
8 Mayumi Street, U.P. Village, Diliman, 1101 Quezon City, Philippines
Tel.: (02) 921-3984 • 922-00-11 • 921-28-59 Fax: (02) 921-6205, 927-7429
Bookstore: (02) 924-6835
Email: ccfi@claretianpublications.com / cci@claret.org
Website: www.claretianpublications.com
