The Gospel of 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, they were watching him closely. When he 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 all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” He said also to the one who had invited him, “When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers 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.”
Let us Pray: Open our tables to those the world overlooks. Let our hospitality reflect Your heart, where no one is forgotten, and every soul is sacred. Help us welcome without calculation, without expectation, and love without condition. May our homes echo the generosity of heaven, where grace is the only currency. Amen.
This Gospel says a lot about today, about people jockeying for position, about trying to make themselves more important than they are. We see this, especially in politics, as people trying to make sure they are in the good graces of a leader. We see it in churches where many look to become higher up on the hierarchical ladder by again striving for recognition and sitting in what they feel are the important seats. Jesus taught that humility leads to recognition; if you deserve it, you’ll be invited to move up. Jesus wasn’t worried about position, because here He is dining at the house of a prominent Pharisee on the Sabbath, a moment charged with social and religious tension. He’s being watched closely, not just for his words but for any perceived misstep. Have you ever been invited to dinner where you felt a little uncomfortable because you felt your every move was being watched, A good example might be the first time you had dinner at your first boy or girlfriend’s house with the parents. A little uncomfortable. I suspect that is how Jesus felt, uncomfortable? I know I would have. It may come as a surprise to you that Jesus was friends with Pharisees. Jesus being invited to a Pharisee’s house for dinner on the Sabbath, might seem like a small detail, but it is actually pretty significant, because being invited for the Sabbath meal meant you were almost family. We usually think of the Pharisees as ‘the opposition,’ but Jesus didn’t always behave that way. Knowing what we do about social customs of the time and recognizing that any self-respecting Pharisee would invite to a dinner only those who could be considered at least equals, one has to wonder what Jesus was doing there in the first place. But it is also possible that this particular Pharisee did, in fact, consider Jesus to be at least an equal. Jesus had demonstrated a keen understanding of scripture and had been an effective teacher in synagogues wherever he traveled. Jesus certainly had a following. As I have reread this and as I write I start to wonder, what really is this all about. This passage isn’t just about dinner etiquette, it’s a window into the values of the kingdom of God: It is about Humility, Grace and Inclusion. Humility over hierarchy: God’s kingdom honors the lowly, not the self-promoting. Grace over reciprocity: We’re called to love without expecting return. Inclusion over exclusivity: The marginalized are not just welcome—they’re prioritized. Jesus uses a simple meal to dismantle social norms and reveal a divine economy where grace, humility, and mercy reign. “Do not neglect to show hospitality to a stranger, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it” (Hebrews 13:2).
Let us Pray: Teach us to seek the lowest seat, not out of false modesty, but true reverence. Strip away our hunger for recognition, and clothe us in the quiet dignity of service. When we are tempted to climb, remind us that You descended to wash feet, to heal wounds, to welcome the outcast. Let our honor be found not in titles, but in the joy of lifting others. Amen.
Reflections by Bob 