Take my yoke upon you / and learn from me, for I am humble and meek in heart!

  First Reading: Romans 11.1-2.11-12.25-29

Reading of Saint Paul's letter to the Romans – Brothers, 1I ask: has God rejected his people? Not at all. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin… 2God did not reject his people, whom he always considered. 11I ask: did they stumble and fall? No, not at all. Indeed, the false step they took served for the salvation of the heathen, and the salvation of the heathen in turn must serve to arouse jealousy in them. 12Now if their false step was wealth for the world and the small number of believers among them was wealth for the pagans, what wealth will be the adherence of all of them to the Gospel! 25Brothers, in order not to be presumptuous because of your wisdom, it is important that you know the mystery, namely: the hardening of a part of Israel is to last until all the pagans have entered into salvation. 26And then all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “Out of Zion will come the deliverer; he will take away wickedness from among Jacob. 27This will be the fulfillment of my covenant with them, when I take away their sins.” 28Indeed, in regard to the Gospel, they are enemies, for your benefit, but in regard to the divine choice, they are loved, because of the patriarchs. 29For God's gifts and calling are irrevocable. - Word of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm: 93(94)

The Lord does not reject his people!

1. It is happy, O Lord, whoever you train † and educate in the ways of the Law / to give relief from anguish. – R.

2. The Lord does not reject his people / and cannot forget their inheritance: / the sentences will return to judgment; / whoever is upright will walk in justice. – R.

3. If the Lord didn't give me help, / I would be in the silence of death! / When I think: “I'm almost falling!”, / your love sustains me, Lord! – R.

Gospel: Luke 14,1.7-11¬¬

Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah.

Take my yoke upon you / and learn from me, for I am humble and meek in heart! (Mt 11,29) – R.

Proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Luke – 1It happened that, on a Saturday, Jesus went to eat at the house of one of the leaders of the Pharisees. And they watched him. 7Jesus noticed how the guests chose the first places. Then he told them a parable: 8 “When you are invited to a wedding feast, do not take first place. It may be that someone more important than you has been invited, 9and the owner of the house, who invited you both, comes and says to you: ‘Give him the seat’. Then you will be ashamed and will occupy the last place. 10But when you are invited, sit in the last place. So, when the person who invited you arrives, they will say to you: ‘Friend, come upstairs’. And that will be an honor for you in front of all the guests. 11For whoever elevates himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be elevated.” – Word of salvation.

Reflection:

Jesus accepts the invitation from the head of the Pharisees, but it could be a trap-banquet! In the previous text, we considered the presence and meaning of man with fluid retention (dropsy). Jesus takes advantage of the presence of the guests to instruct them. Using the occasion of the banquet, a common reality for people of all times, Jesus leaves us with the lesson of humility. He denounces the pride of people who always want to occupy first places, remembering that these are reserved for those who are humble. Therefore, out of education, prudence and humility, it is appropriate to occupy the last place. If the person is invited to come “higher”, appreciation for them. In the Kingdom of God, Jesus says it several times, the greatest is the servant of all; the place of honor is the last: whoever humbles himself will be elevated!

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