Lowest Place

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 every one 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." (Luke 14:1, 7-14)

What happens when the host doesn’t come to us to say: “My friend, move up to a higher position.”  Humility is good, but believing everyone is better than us, and we only deserve the lowest place says little about our self-worth.  Of course, Jesus has said the first will be last and the last first.  His sentiment is repeated in this parable.

This Gospel reading is about pride and the need to be humble: “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted."  Pride comes before a fall.  

The Gospel also is about charity: “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.”  Those in the “lowest place” or having little status should be asked to move to a higher position with our help financial or otherwise.  It this way they become our companions at the table – sort of like what happens when everyone, regardless of income and status, comes forward for the Eucharist.

Deacon David Pierce