From: Luke 14:1, 7-11

[1] One Sabbath when He (Jesus) went to dine at the house of a ruler who be-
longed to the Pharisees, they were watching Him.

A Lesson About Humility

[7] Now He told a parable to those who were invited, when He marked how they
chose the places of honor, saying to them, [8] “When you are invited by any-
one to a marriage feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest a more eminent
man than you be invited by him; [9] and he who invited you both will come and
say to you, ‘Give place to this man’ and then you will begin with shame to take
the lowest place. [10] But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place,
so that when your host comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, go up higher’; then
you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you. [11] For eve-
ry one who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be
exalted.

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Commentary:

11. Humility is necessary for salvation that Jesus takes every opportunity to
stress its importance. Here He uses the attitudes of people at banquet to re-
mind us again that it is God who assigns the places at the Heavenly banquet.
“Together with humility, the realization of the greatness of man’s dignity — and
of the overwhelming fact that, by grace, we are made children of God — forms
a single attitude. It is not our own efforts that save us and gives us life; it is the
grace of God. This is a truth which must never be forgotten” (St. J. Escriva,
“Christ Is Passing By”, 133).

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Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

Mass Readings

First reading	Philippians 1:18-26 ©

Christ is proclaimed; and that makes me happy; and I shall continue being happy, because I know this will help to save me, thanks to your prayers and to the help which will be given to me by the Spirit of Jesus. My one hope and trust is that I shall never have to admit defeat, but that now as always I shall have the courage for Christ to be glorified in my body, whether by my life or by my death. Life to me, of course, is Christ, but then death would bring me something more; but then again, if living in this body means doing work which is having good results-I do not know what I should choose. I am caught in this dilemma: I want to be gone and be with Christ, which would be very much the better, but for me to stay alive in this body is a more urgent need for your sake. This weighs with me so much that I feel sure I shall survive and stay with you all, and help you to progress in the faith and even increase your joy in it; and so you will have another reason to give praise to Christ Jesus on my account when I am with you again.

Psalm	Psalm 41:2-3,5

Gospel	Luke 14:1,7-11 ©

On a sabbath day Jesus had gone for a meal to the house of one of the leading Pharisees; and they watched him closely. He then told the guests a parable, because he had noticed how they picked the places of honour. He said this, ‘When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take your seat in the place of honour. A more distinguished person than you may have been invited, and the person who invited you both may come and say, “Give up your place to this man.” And then, to your embarrassment, you would have to go and take the lowest place. No; when you are a guest, make your way to the lowest place and sit there, so that, when your host comes, he may say, “My friend, move up higher.” In that way, everyone with you at the table will see you honoured. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the man who humbles himself will be exalted.’