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."
+ + + + + + +
Reflection:
Do you always love to be at the forefront so that others would
notice you? Do you hunger for honor, attention and accolades? Or you’re the
type who prefers to do things quietly without any desire to be noticed with
what you’re doing?
In our gospel, Jesus talks about our need to always be humble and
not to love the spotlight. However, it’s so tempting for many of us to love to
be exalted, to love praise and honor.
But come to think of it, when we love the spotlight; when we
love honorific titles and ego-booster accolades. We are actually giving more
importance to this world more than we give importance to God. We love to become
creatures of this world than love to become sons and daughters of God.
But why is it that many of us crave for prominence, for honor and
self-exaltation? As time passes by, prominence, honor and anything that is
self-serving will be forgotten. Thus, anything that we do for the love of
ourselves, for our own exaltation will not be remembered with affection.
But our acts of humility, simplicity and goodness? It will outlive
us; it will permanently be carved in the heart of God and in the hearts of
those who know us. Therefore, we have to be humble, simple and Godly
at all times. We have to permanently delete from our mindset the selfish desire
to be known and prominent. Because God favors the humble and he always
showers unfathomable blessings upon them.
Do you love to be honored, to be noticed and to be prominent? – Marino J. Dasmarinas
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