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 every one 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.” LK 14:1, 7-14

One of our national struggles as polish people is right understanding of humility

There is good pride that recognizes talents given me by God.

Unhealthy pride denies such gifts or make me thinking about myself more and better that the reality.

Our first parents – they believed they can be like God.

We hair after them these struggles too – we compete with God

We struggle with respecting and loving him.

We go very often into competition about our lives:

About how much we can get, how far we can go without being punished, without committing a sin.

 

Making mistakes is part of being human.

Prideful person doesn’t accept mistakes. But still you make mistakes

And pride comes down on you with a vengeance,

Telling you that you are stupid, worthless or useless

Because you did not live up to unrealistic standards

You imagined to posses

Setting impossible standards for us is pride.

Being to hard on ourselves is a hidden pride too.

 

If you see turtle sitting on top of fence post

You know that he didn’t get there by himself,

He had someone helped getting there

We are the turtle on top of fence post

Where we are now is because of help of others.

Even if you did most of the work, there are people who helped you.

Being humble is to remind myself that it is not all my success-

My success is build on help of others.

Without others, without God I would achieve nothing.

This is a healthy pride. Healthy humility.

Seeing right perspective.

There are many people who have help to form us and make us where we are:

Parents, relatives, friends, coworkers, even people who drive us crazy

 

Being grateful is what makes us more ready

To answer the challenge from second part of the gospel:

To help those who are not as blessed as we are-

To reach those who are today’s outcasts, people below standards, those who are condemned, rejected, unwelcome

 

To be even more compassionate I need to make myself as an outcast

I need to go into places where I am not welcomed

I need first be where people look on me with bad eye, with judgment,

Where they see me as somebody who should not be there

We don’t like such places. But these occasions make us more compassionate, more caring and more loving.

 

Pharisee are watching Jesus closely

Negative hostile conotation

Whom in my life I’m watching closely

…my brother….I just saw his mistakes on every step… Slavery of pride

What bothers us in others are our own faults

 

The guest list Jesus proposes is unthinkable for those concerned about their social status:

Poor,crippled, lame, and blind while objects of charity would not be considered as didnning guests

In Leviticus they were considered impure and excluded from priesthood

in qumram community they were excluded from end-time banquet

But in the Gospel however, it is precisely this kind of people to whom Jesus directs his mission

Who is missing in our gatherings ?

Who would not feel welcome? Who is left out today?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’m poor because I’m attached to my earthly possessions

Little Kia Soul, big old Buick park ave , my awesome motorcycle,

 

I’m poor because I don’t know how to ask for help

I’m poor because don’t want to change for better

I’m poor becaue I even don’t know how to love

Last 2 weeks remind me very well that I’m really bad,

ask my brother, he will give you first hand relation of how poor I’m

I who should give good example, I who should be patient, wiser,

I who should be meek and humble of heart…

 

But most of the time I’m pretending that I’m rich in wisdom, gods grace, wit,

I live life of illusion

 

Jesus is in conflict with his hosts

Who are hosts in my life?

Employee

Teachers

Professors

Pastor

Jesus have courage to be in conflict with them

Yo challenge them

 

How often we back up from conflict situation

Sometimes it’s good

It depends on our motivation

We are in invisible slavery

We have to work to be able pay bills

Often we don’t say anything against unchristian situation because of fear

It’s slavery

Of opinion, credit line, loan, eeee

 

 

To seek the most marginalized they cannot pay us back

 

The guest list Jesus proposes is unthinkable for those concerned about their social status:

Poor,crippled, lame, and blind while objects of charity would not be considered as didnning guests

In Leviticus they were considered impure and excluded from priesthood

in qumram community they were excluded from end-time banquet

But in the gospel however, it is precisely this kind of people to whom Jesus directs his mission

Who is missing in our gatherings ?

Who would not feel welcome? Who is left out today?

 

Make myself outcast and go where I’m not welcomed

So I can understand better, be more compassionate and sensitive