Reflection for November 3 Monday of the 31st Week in Ordinary Time: Luke 14:12-14

Gospel: Luke 14:12-14

On a sabbath Jesus went to dine at the home of one of the leading Pharisees. 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 sisters 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.”

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Reflection:

Have we noticed that there’s a deeper and more lasting sense of joy when we give to the poor than when we give to someone who can repay us? If we haven’t experienced this yet, let us try doing it and allow our hearts to feel the quiet happiness that comes from selfless giving.

For instance, we can try preparing two sets of the same food: one we give to our neighbor, and the other we offer to someone in need. After doing so, let us pause and notice the profound sense of grace and fulfillment that gently settles in our hearts. This feeling is a divine whisper reminding us that we have touched the heart of Jesus through our act of love.

Why is this so? Because the poor, the unwanted, and the less fortunate among us are closest to the heart of our Lord. In fact, Jesus Himself shared a story about the Last Judgment, where the king said: “Truly, I say to you, just as you did it for one of the least of these brothers or sisters of mine, you did it to me” (Matthew 25:40).

In the Gospel, Jesus was invited to dine at the home of one of the leading Pharisees. While there, He gave everyone present a lesson filled with wisdom and compassion—food for the soul that continues to nourish us today.

He said to His host: “When you hold a lunch or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or sisters 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” (Luke 14:12–14).

This powerful and moving teaching of Jesus is not only meant for the Pharisee who invited Him—it is also for us. He gently reminds us that true love and generosity are not measured by what we receive in return, but by the joy of giving from the heart, especially to those who cannot repay us.

Let us, therefore, open our hearts and our hands to those in need. In every act of kindness we extend to others, we encounter Jesus Himself.

Are we ready to give—not because we expect something back—but because we desire to love as Jesus loves us? — Marino J. Dasmarinas