Homily for Twenty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year C

The readings for Twenty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year C may be found at:

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/083125.cfm

In today’s Gospel from the evangelist St. Luke, 

Jesus attends a formal meal 

at the home of a leading Pharisee.

Now, I am not sure if you are aware, 

but there are more references to eating, banquets, 

meals and being “at table” in Luke’s gospel 

than any other.

That might explain why I like the gospel of Luke so much!

While everyone else jockeys for position 

to find a preferred seat at this meal 

to “see and be seen”,

Jesus prepares to give them food for thought. 

You see, Jesus isn’t interested in the food being served. 

What he’s really interested in is the people at the table.

And so, He takes the opportunity to remind them 

of what is truly important.

Jesus tells them that, 

“For every one who exalts himself will be humbled,

but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”  

We might think He is cautioning people

about where to sit,

but Jesus is talking about something much deeper 

than table etiquette. 

He is pointing to how we must be before God 

and how different the rules are in the Kingdom of God. 

First, he addresses the guests. 

He reminds us of our identity as children of God 

and that the true path to greatness is humility - 

to not think less of ourselves,

but to think of ourselves less,

to acknowledge our dependence on God, 

to place ourselves at the service of others, 

and to honor those that the world overlooks. 

He was telling us, 

“Instead of seeking glory for yourself, 

spend your time and energy giving glory to God.” 

Jesus takes the opportunity to remind us

that humility is necessary for salvation.

He uses the attitudes of the people at table

to remind us that it is God 

who assigns the places 

at the heavenly banquet.

That it is by grace - that we are made children of God.

It's not our own efforts that give us life, 

but purely by the grace of God 

that we have a shot at salvation.

Because we are all sinners

who fall short.

Yet, God loves us anyway, 

even though we don’t deserve it, 

can’t earn it,

and aren’t better than anyone else 

because of it. 

While the banquet guests chewed on that, 

Jesus turned to His host, the leader of the Pharisees.

“You’re inviting the wrong people,” Jesus told him. 

“When you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind.” 

He reminds us that those who cannot repay us 

are honored in the banquet of Heaven. 

Here, Jesus reveals the heart of 

the first person of the trinity, the Father,

a love that doesn’t seek repayment 

but freely gives.  

And he calls us to do the same.

But that’s hard, isn’t it?

Because of our broken human nature,

our natural instinct 

is to surround ourselves with people who can do for us, 

who can repay us, 

who we are comfortable around. 

That’s easy.  

That feels good.

But Jesus calls us to go beyond our wants to His.

He invites us to see others not by what they can do for us, 

but as God’s beloved sons and daughters.  

He asks us to examine our relationships.

Do we welcome those who are lonely, marginalized, unnoticed - 

those who can give us nothing in return? 

Or do we give our best only 

to those closest to us 

or those who can return the favor?  

Jesus calls us to renew in our hearts 

a spirit of service towards others,

to welcome the poor, 

broken, or struggling 

to find welcome at His table. 

Sometimes, we forget that the word Catholic, 

literally means universal.

It’s meant for everyone.

The Eucharist itself is the ultimate banquet - 

a feast given for us by a Lord who humbled Himself, 

even unto death, 

so that we might have life.  

Thus, He calls us to cultivate humility in our hearts. 

Putting God first, 

measuring our lives by what He says is important, 

not by our own wants.

Regardless of our position in life, 

when we come before this altar today, 

The reality is that

we come as beggars before the feast of God, 

not because of our worthiness 

but because of His mercy. 

Here we learn again 

that the way to be exalted is to kneel, 

the way to be filled is to be emptied, 

and the way to be great is to serve.  

May we, 

like Christ, 

choose the lower place - 

so that in God’s time 

and in God’s Kingdom, 

He and he alone 

may lift us up.