Luke 14.1:7-14

Gospel according to 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, the lawyers and Pharisees were watching him closely. When Jesus noticed how the guests chose the places of honor, he told them a parable. “When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not sit down at the place of honor, 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 honored in the presence of all who sit at the table with you. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and those whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” Jesus said also to the Pharisee who had invited him, “When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers and sisters or your relatives or rich neighbors, 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.”

Reflections

In today’s Gospel, Jesus attends a meal at a house of a leader of the Pharisees. They keep a close eye on Jesus because they are intrigued by his teaching and his person. At best, they want to get to know him better, but some are plotting against him and are just waiting for the right opportunity to contrive a plan to get rid of Jesus once and forever. What they do not know is that Jesus is observing their behaviors and he is aware of their schemes. So, Jesus uses this opportunity, when all eyes are fixed on him, to teach the Pharisees a lesson about humility, kindness, and generosity. According to Jesus, true blessings are not a consequence of being prominent and well liked, but that of reaching out to the poor, the ill and the handicapped. Whatever one gives away to help those in need, will be repaid generously at the end of times, when all the actions and intentions will be known.

Jesus gave his life for the salvation of sinners.

Story of the Day

Saint Martin de Porres was born on December 9, 1579, in Lima, Peru. His father abandoned the family when Martin was still very young. He suffered discrimination and ridicule because he was of mixed race. When he was 15, he asked for admission in the Dominican convent of Our Lady of Lima. He was assigned to a barber who taught him how to cut hair as well as how to perform medical procedures. Still at the convent, the condition for his acceptance was that he is a servant and a cleaner and that he would perform all the menial tasks that no one else wanted to do. Martin accepted to serve because he wanted to remain close to Jesus in the order. Gradually, his exceptional abilities for healing were recognized and he was placed in charge of the infirmary and the alms given to the poor. Martin died at the age of sixty. He is a saint who is often depicted holding a broom. He remained humble and served everyone even though he could have boasted about his exceptional gifts. It was said, for example, that Martin had the abilities for aerial flights, bilocation, instant cures, miraculous knowledge, spiritual knowledge and an excellent relationship with animals.

Quote of the Day

"No one has ever become poor by giving."

– Anne Frank