＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊   

Romans 11:1-2a, 11-12, 25-29

And so I ask:

Has God rejected his people? Of course not. I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. No, God has not rejected the people he knew beforehand.

Don’t you know what the Scripture says of Elijah when he was accusing Israel be­fore God? Again I ask: Did they stum­ble so as to fall? Of course not. Their stumbling allowed salvation to come to the pagan nations and this, in turn, will stir up the jealousy of Israel.

 If Israel’s short­coming made the world rich, if the pagan nations grew rich with what they lost, what will hap­pen when Israel is restored?

 I want you to understand the mys­terious decree of God, lest you be too confident: a part of Is­­rael will remain hardened until the majority of pagans have entered. Then the whole of Israel will be saved, as Scripture says: From Zion will come the Liberator who will purify the descendants of Jacob from all sin. And this is the covenant I will make with them: I will take away from them their sins.

 Regarding the Gospel, the Jews are opponents, but it is for your benefit. Regarding election, they are beloved because of their ancestors; because the call of God and his gifts cannot be nullified.

 

Ps 94:12-13a, 14-15, 17-18

The Lord will not abandon his people.

 

 ＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊ 

Luke 14:1, 7-11

One Sabbath Jesus had gone to eat a meal in the house of a leading Pharisee, and he was carefully watched. 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.”

 

 Gospel Reflection：

There is a pecking order among each of the guests apart from the party of Jesus are conscious of the hierarchy among them. And so. The jockeying for the position of honor is evident. Jesus and His disciples may have arrived early enough to observe what is going on.

There are no markers to indicate where the guests arriving is to sit. And so as a guest enters he would look for the most honored spots at the table. For where one sits in reference to the host is a public advertisement of one’s status.

This preoccupation for the choice seats happens too with Jesus’ own disciples, James and John. Their mother tries to intervene for them so they would have the preferred places in seating order in the kingdom of Jesus, one on his right and the other on his left (Matthew 10:21-23).

In the end, the initial honor went to two thieves. For the choice seats in heaven is not conferred based on our individual merits and human achievements. It is gift bestowed by God.