But The One Who Humbles Himself Will Be Exalted…

Awhile back, the angel asked me to dedicate Sundays to the Gospels, with love and gratitude, here is the Gospel of Luke 14:1, 7-14

On a sabbath Jesus went to dine
at the home of one of the leading Pharisees,
and the people there were observing him carefully.

He told a parable to those who had been invited,
noticing how they were choosing the places of honor at the table.
“When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet,
do not recline at table in the place of honor.
A more distinguished guest than you may have been invited by him,
and the host who invited both of you may approach you and say,
‘Give your place to this man,’
and then you would proceed with embarrassment
to take the lowest place.
Rather, when you are invited,
go and take the lowest place
so that when the host comes to you he may say,
‘My friend, move up to a higher position.’
Then you will enjoy the esteem of your companions at the table.
For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled,
but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
Then he said to the host who invited him,
“When you hold a lunch or a dinner,
do not invite your friends or your brothers
or your relatives or your wealthy neighbors,
in case they may invite you back and you have repayment.
Rather, when you hold a banquet,
invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind;
blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you.
For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The wisdom of Ben Sira recommended humility as a means of winning favor with God. Here, Jesus teaches that humility is the the route to esteem, even among colleagues and friends.

The second half puts the first half in perspective, for it reveals, as occurs often in Luke, Jesus’ concern for the poor and the attitude for the rich.  He counsels , counter- culturally doing for those who can’t do back for us. This time, he predicts no earthly honor or affirmation, but an eternal reward, visible only to the eyes of faith, that will come at the eternal banquet that celebrates “the resurrection of the righteous.” [see reference] 

Additionally, Jesus points out that whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. Jesus emptied himself, taking the form of a servant and humbled himself, even to the lowest place, as Jesus, even though Divinely human, did not see  equality with God as something to be grasped. God exalted him for this, to the highest place, a name above all names- in Heaven and in all of God’s creation – so that every knee should bow God before him.  God loves humility, and Jesus shows us that humility is something God Himself exalts – which is a Divine reward indeed.  (See PHIL2:5-11) 

Reference: Workbook for Lectors, Gospel Readers and Proclaimers of the Word. 2016