The jockeying for the position of honor is evident.

This preoccupation for the choice seats happens too with Jesus’ own disciples, James and John.

Their mother tries to intervene for them so they would have the preferred places in seating order in the kingdom of Jesus,

one on his right and the other on his left.

We must not boast our position and must always settle

at the bottom which will in turn protect our dignity and nourish the humbleness inside us.

 

St. Charles Borromeo, bishop

 ＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊ 

 Romans 11:1-2a, 11-12, 25-29

And so I ask:

Has God rejected his people? Of course not. I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. No, God has not rejected the people he

knew beforehand.

Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall? Of course not. Their stumbling allowed salvation to come to the pagan nations and this, in turn, will stir up the jealousy of Israel. If Israel's shortcoming made the world rich, if the pagan nations grew rich with what they lost, what will happen when Israel is restored?

 

I want you to understand the mysterious decree of God, lest you be too confident: a part of Israel will remain hardened until the majority of pagans have entered. Then the whole of Israel will be saved, as Scripture says: From Zion will come the Liberator who will purify the descendants of Jacob from all sin. And this is the Covenant I will make with them: I will take away from them their sins.

 

Regarding the Gospel, the Jews are opponents, but it is for your benefit. Regarding election, they are beloved because of their ancestors; because the call of God and his gifts cannot be nullified.

 

Ps 94:12-13a, 14-15, 17-18 The Lord will not abandon his people.

 

＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊      

Luke 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."

 

Gospel Reflection ：

"Let others go first and take the highest place." 

Business advice books will often tell their readers to look out for number one and become masters of self-promotion as a way to get ahead at work. But Jesus gives his listeners the opposite advice, telling them to let others go first and take the highest place. By putting others first, we follow the example of the Lord who, though he was God, served others and even died for us on the cross.

 

One way that we can serve our brothers and sisters is through hospitality, a virtue that pervades the entire Bible. From Abraham in Genesis through the wedding feast of the Lamb in Revelation, we are presented with many examples of offering a welcome to home and table. This welcome knows no boundaries of race, class, or nation.

 

Instead, Jesus asks us to open our hearts and our homes to those who seek a place to belong. Rather than welcoming only those who can do something to help us, we extend our hospitality to those who need it most, following Jesus' loving example. It is good to remember that to say "I love you" is also to say "I forgive you!" Our God is a God of love!