Humble Guests Invited
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August 30, 2025The scenario in our Gospel this 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time. Jesus was invited to a meal and he noticed how those invited chose the prominent seats at the table. A challenge was thrown out to them through a parable. If they are invited to a wedding banquet, they should choose the lowest place for when the host sees them, they will be asked to go up to a more prominent seat, in that way, they will be honored. They should not choose the highest position for when the host sees them and be asked to go down and give way to a more prominent person, it would be a total embarrassment. Jesus also challenged the host, invite not those people who can repay him for his generosity, rather, invite those who cannot pay back the invitation.
Looking at this parable, it would be so easy for us to identify who we are with any of these two, the invited guest or the host and take the right action that aligns with each challenge of Jesus. On the part of the invited guest, the challenge is to take humility as the core attitude and set aside any sign of pride for Jesus has said, “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” On the other side, the host’s challenge is to do good things and share the blessings without expecting something in return for Jesus has said, “Blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you. For you will be repaid, at the resurrection of the righteous.”
There is another character in the parable that we do not usually think of and do not even try to identify ourselves with, but it is as important as with the other characters. Of course, Jesus wants to teach us about the value of humility and the importance of giving without thinking of getting back something. Going more deeply, Jesus wants us also to look at the poor who should be invited, “when you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind.” We are also the poor, undeserving to be at and seated inthe position of honor yet God has invited us to the banquet,given us a seat of honor and embraced us and made us members of the one body of Christ. This, despite our inability to pay or to earn it because of our weaknesses and sinfulness.
This happens in the holy Eucharist, the great feast where we are given the meal, invited to take it in spite of not being worthy, “Lord, I am not worthy to receive you under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.” We come together in this sacred place, invited as guest with seat at the place of honor not because we deserve it but because the Father has given us the true food and drink that gives everlasting life in Jesus.
We were poor and undeserving, yet we were invited to take part in the great feast, the Eucharist where you and I once nobody became somebody being the beloved sons and daughters of God.