Jesus then told a parable to the guests, for he had noticed how they tried to take the places of honor.
And he said, “When you are invited to a wedding party, do not choose the best seat. It may happen
that someone more important than you has been invited; and your host, who invited both of you, will
come and say to you, ‘Please give this person your place.’ What shame is yours when you take the
lowest seat!

Whenever you are invited, go rather to the lowest seat, so that your host may come and say to you,
‘Friend, you must come up higher.’ And this will be a great honor for you in the presence of all the other
guests. For whoever makes himself out to be great will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will
be exalted.”

Jesus also addressed the man who had invited him, and said, “When you give a lunch or a dinner,
don’t invite your friends, or your brothers and relatives, or your wealthy neighbors. For surely they will
also invite you in return, and you will be repaid. When you give a feast, invite instead the poor, the
crippled, the lame and the blind. Fortunate are you then, because they cannot repay you. You will be
repaid at the resurrection of the upright.”

“When you give a feast, invite instead the poor, the crippled, the lame and the blind.”

Read:
We are exhorted to practice discretion and humility. Those who humble themselves will find
themselves raised – to the city of God where they live with God. Jesus affirms the virtue of humility
and encourages us to give without expectations of return.

Reflect:

Jesus speaks of inviting the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind to our dining tables.
As per the United Nations, the people living in extreme poverty (read, those living on less
than $1.90 a day) in the world would number around 703-729 million in 2020-21. About 690
million people go hungry and 21.3% of the world’s children suffer from stunting due to chronic
malnutrition.  Now read this: The world wastes or loses annually 1.3 billion tons of food and
1.6 billion tons of primary product equivalents. The total global military expenditure in 2019 was
$1,917 billion! If not for heavenly reasons, at least for humane and earthly reasons, it is time we
invited the poor and the hungry to our dining tables, provided for them, and took care of their
needs. And this act must begin, humbly, at the dining tables of every family.

Pray:

Lord, give us humble and generous hearts that care for the needs of others.

Act:
Share your food with a hungry person today.

© Copyright Bible Diary 2022