Sunday, 01 September 2013
Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year CSt. Giles of Castaneda, Abbot (640-720)
Commentary of the day
Saint Bruno of Segni : « Behold, I have prepared my banquet…, everything is ready : come to the feast » (Mt 22,4)
Lk 14:1.7-14.
On a
sabbath Jesus went to dine at the home of one of the leading Pharisees, and
the people there were observing him carefully.
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."
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."
Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB
Commentary of the day :
Saint Bruno of Segni (c.1045-1123), Bishop
Commentary on Saint Luke's Gospel, 2, 14 ; PL 165, 406 (trans. ©Friends of Henry Ashworth)
Invited to a wedding feast, the Lord looked round and noticed how all were
choosing the first and most honorable places, each person wanting to take
precedence of the others and to be raised above them. He then told them this
parable (Lk 14,16f), which even taken literally is most useful and appropriate
for all who like to be honored, and fear being put to shame...
However, since it is called a parable, it must have some other interpretation besides the literal one. Let us see then what this wedding feast is, and who are the people invited to it. This wedding feast takes place in the Church every day. Every day the Lord makes a wedding feast, for every day he unites faithful souls to himself. some coming to be baptized, others leaving this world for the kingdom of heaven. We are all invited to this wedding feast - all of us who have received faith in Christ and the seal of baptism This table set before us is that of which it is said: “You have prepared a table before me in the sight of those who trouble me” (Ps 23[22],5). Here is the showbread, here the fatted calf, here the Lamb who takes away the sins of the world (Ex 25,30; Lk 15,23; Jn 1,29). Here is the living bread come down from heaven; here placed before us is the chalice of the New Covenant (Jn 6,51; 1Co 11,25); here are the gospels and the letters of the apostles, here the books of Moses and the prophets. It is as though a dish containing every delight was brought and set before us.
What more then can we desire? What reason is there for choosing the first seats? There is plenty for all no matter where we sit. There is nothing we shall lack.
However, since it is called a parable, it must have some other interpretation besides the literal one. Let us see then what this wedding feast is, and who are the people invited to it. This wedding feast takes place in the Church every day. Every day the Lord makes a wedding feast, for every day he unites faithful souls to himself. some coming to be baptized, others leaving this world for the kingdom of heaven. We are all invited to this wedding feast - all of us who have received faith in Christ and the seal of baptism This table set before us is that of which it is said: “You have prepared a table before me in the sight of those who trouble me” (Ps 23[22],5). Here is the showbread, here the fatted calf, here the Lamb who takes away the sins of the world (Ex 25,30; Lk 15,23; Jn 1,29). Here is the living bread come down from heaven; here placed before us is the chalice of the New Covenant (Jn 6,51; 1Co 11,25); here are the gospels and the letters of the apostles, here the books of Moses and the prophets. It is as though a dish containing every delight was brought and set before us.
What more then can we desire? What reason is there for choosing the first seats? There is plenty for all no matter where we sit. There is nothing we shall lack.
