In this week's edition of There's more in the Gospel than meets the eye,
Jill Bevilacqua and Seàn-Patrick Lovett bring us readings and reflections for the
Twentysecond Sunday of the year. Listen:
GospelLk 14:1, 7-14
On a Sabbath Jesus
went to dine at the home of one of the leading Pharisees, and the people there
were observing him carefully.
He told a parable to those who had been invited, noticing
how they were choosing the places of honor at the table. “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, 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. 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. For every one who exalts himself
will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” 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. 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.”