30th WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
Psalter: Week 1 / (White)
St. Charles Borromeo, bishop / Memorial of Blessed Virgin Mary
Ps 94:12-13a, 14-15, 17-18
The Lord will not abandon his people.
1st Reading: Rom 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. Don‘t you know what the Scripture says of Elijah, when he was accusing Israel before God?
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.
Gospel: Lk 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.“
REFLECTION:
Jesus‘ teaching in the gospel reading today immediately reminds me on the virtue of humility, referred to as the mother of all virtues. St. Augustine speaks of humility as the first, second, third, and last step towards matured spirituality. Jesus lived this humility “though He was God, He humbled Himself and took the human flesh.“
I am joyfully reminded too of the song of Mary, the Magnificat, how God acted favorably on the lowly and put to shame the proud: “He has cast down the mighty from thrones and lifted up the lowly“ (Lk. 1:52). Truly, God is pleased with the humble.
One time I was traveling by train to Switzerland from Rome. In Milan we transferred to another train. I was already seated on the right seat number but not in the right coach. The officer told me to leave and transfer to another coach. Before everyone‘s eyes, I left, shameful and humiliated. In formal and grand occasions, upon arrival, I simply sit at a hidden and back place. As always, I am escorted and paged to occupy the seat reserved for me among the VIPS. Doing such, I received applauses and admirations. These experiences bring me to understand clearly and deeply Jesus sayings and teachings on humility in contrast to pride.
Daily Reflection
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Biblical Texts are taken from Christian Community Bible, Catholic Pastoral Edition (57th Edition) The New English Translation for the ROMAN MISSAL
With permission from the EPISCOPAL COMMISION ON LITURGY of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines
Readings and Reflections
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