Weekly content example: Catholic devotions

Humility and Hospitality

Luke 14: 1; 7-14

Pharisees were a Jewish group popular among ordinary Jews during Jesus’ time. Like Jesus, they were laypeople – not priests – who encouraged others to observe the Jewish Law. But the gospels tend to show the Pharisees in a poor light. In Matthew’s gospel, Jesus calls them hypocrites, and the insult has stuck. John’s gospel also gives them a difficult time. But in Luke, Jesus attends three dinner parties with Pharisees. This story tells about what happened at one of these dinner parties. As usual, Jesus is engaged in dialogue with his Pharisee hosts over an issue of Jewish life that interested them all. In the course of this conversation, Jesus tells a story on the theme he will employ many times in his ministry: reversal. He uses the example of setting places of honour at a wedding celebration. For Jesus, community expectations about honour and prestige are reversed in God’s kingdom: those who think they are mighty and powerful will be humbled in front of everyone; those who are weak and powerless will fill the places of honour and prestige. Jesus makes it clear that God will not be fooled by anyone who is an excellent self-promoter.

Prayer

Lord, I pray for the gift of humility. Help me to be a person who welcomes those who are weak and in need. Amen