Luke 14:1, 7-14
1 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.
7 When he noticed how the guests chose the places of honor, he told them a parable. 8 “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; 9 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. 10 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. 11 For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
12 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. 13 But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. 14 And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”
Living Religion and Manifestations of Religiosity
Defined by St. James 1:27, “Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their afflictions, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world." St. James means that we should practice love and mercy toward our neighbor. He’s referring to Jesus' beatitude, “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy” in Matthew 5:7, and reminding us of the second commandment,"You shall love your neighbor as yourself" Matthew 22:39. When practicing these two elements, we free ourselves from the pollution of sin and its consequences.
Religion becomes a devotion to God that is shown by love and compassion toward others. "Show me your faith by your works" says James 2:18. Religion is a harmony between true internal faith and outer actions. When we don't synchronize both, our faith becomes a manifestation of our own convictions that may contradict true religion.
"Walk in my presence and be blameless, says the Lord" in Genesis 17:1b. Abraham was asked to walk with God, which means that God loved him and wanted to befriend him, hence Abraham's epithet became Hebron (the little friend of God). God also wanted Abraham to walk in His presence, which means He wanted him to be blameless by growing in understanding, love and action.
After a devotion at the Synagogue, everyone has to "walk in God's presence blameless" with full attention to others' honor and dignity, knowing how not to impose their own honor - which should never be to the detriment of others. Otherwise, they will lose it.
This is how Jesus, who was watched closely by the people who were present at that banquet, trying to trap him, is teaching about how to respect oneself and others through true humility. "He who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted" (v. 11).
Then Jesus reminds the rich host to invite to his table those who are not able to repay him a similar hearty meal, rather to invite those for whom God will repay him. This is a call for how to care for the needy, with whom Jesus identifies himself out of loving care for them, and as a result of sharing wealth with God in the person of the poor.
Sundays' readings are worthy of our attention, reflection and implementation.
How do I read it today in my personal evaluation of my faith?
Am I tempted to honor myself to the detriment of others?
Do I include caring and sharing whatever I have with God in the person of the needy?
Do I expect rewards from others or from God for what I offer?
May I remember the Lord saying to me “Walk in my presence" and "those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”