Pride is the commencement of all sin. Indeed, pride cast Satan from Heaven. Pride stripped our first parents of their union with God. And pride may ultimately prevent us from joining in the supper of the Lamb. In today\u2019s gospel, our Lord warns us against the dangers of pride and offers us a solution \u2013 humility.<\/p>\n
The gospel scene opens with a powerful Pharisee inviting Jesus to dine at his house. Jesus accepts the invitation and shows up for dinner. However, when Jesus arrives for dinner, he is not impressed by his fellow guests. The guests are jockeying for position, each trying to sit in the best possible seat and to appear in the best possible light. The guests, in other words, are filled with pride. In order to address this issue, Jesus tells two parables.<\/p>\n
The first parable is addressed to those who were invited to the dinner. In no uncertainty terms, Jesus informs them that their attempts to secure a place of honour will end in humiliation \u2013 for after selecting a place of honour, the host will come and say to them \u201c\u2018give place to this man,\u2019 and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place\u201d (Luke 14:9). What is Jesus\u2019 solution to this problem? Humble yourself. Take the lowest place. Act with humility. \u201cFor every one who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted\u201d (Luke 14:11).<\/p>\n
The second parable is directed towards the host of the dinner. To him, Jesus warns against inviting guests that might repay you. Rather, \u201cinvite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind\u201d (Luke 14:13). Why? Because you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just. In other words, Jesus encourages long-term (eternal) investment.<\/p>\n
These two parables are not only moral lessons. No. They are windows into the nature of God. In the first parable, Jesus warns us against seeking places of honour in case we are unseated by a more honoured guest. And yet, Jesus \u2013 Lord of the Universe \u2013 humbled himself and became man. No one is more honourable than Jesus, but still he humbles himself. Why? For the glory of God and for our salvation. Regarding the second parable, Jesus warns against inviting guests who might pay you back. And this is precisely the same policy that Jesus adopts when he invites us to his eternal banquet. None of us can ever repay God for his gift of salvation. Yet he invites us nonetheless. Therefore, we should be humble \u2013 not just to receive a reward \u2013 but to emulate our Lord, who humbled himself for our salvation.<\/p>\n
\u00a0Ian Mahood<\/strong> \u2013 St. Joseph Seminary, Edmonton, Alberta<\/p>\n Fot. Matt Briney\/Unsplash.com<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":2105,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[8,17,18],"tags":[211,38,139,212],"class_list":["post-2104","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","category-strona-glowna-najnowsze","category-strona-glowna-slider","tag-dinner","tag-gospel","tag-ian_mahood","tag-pride"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n