St. Martin de Porres, religious 

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊

Philippians 2:5-11

Your attitude should be the same as Jesus Christ had:

Though he was in the form of God, he did not regard equality with God as something to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking on the nature of a servant, made in human likeness, and in his appearance found as a man.

 He humbled himself by being obedient to death, death on the cross.  That is why God exalted him and gave him the Name which outshines all names,  so that at the Name of Jesus all knees should bend in heaven, on earth and among the dead,  and all tongues proclaim that Christ Jesus is the Lord to the glory of God the Father.

 

Ps 22:26b-27, 28-30ab, 30e, 31-32

I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.

 

＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊

Luke 14:15-24

 Upon hearing these words, one of those at the table said to Jesus, “Happy are those who eat at the banquet in the kingdom of God!” Jesus replied, “A man once gave a feast and invited many guests.

 When it was time for the feast he sent his servant to tell those he had invited to come, for everything was ready. But all alike began to make excuses. The first said: ‘Please excuse me. I must go and see the piece of land I have just bought.’  

 Another said: ‘I am sorry, but I am on my way to try out the five yoke of oxen I have just bought.’  Still another said, ‘How can I come when I have just married?’  The servant returned alone and reported this to his master.

Upon hearing the account, the master of the house flew into a rage and ordered his servant: ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.’

 The servant reported after a while: ‘Sir, your or­ders have been carried out, but there is still room.’   The master said: ‘Go out to the highways and country lanes and force people to come in, to make sure my house is full.  I tell you, none of those invited will have a morsel of my feast.”

 

Gospel Reflection：

The shared table is often present in the Gospel, one of the preferred images of the kingdom itself. God, the king, prepares a big banquet with great care. All are invited do this celebration where they can enjoy the King’s generosity.

This is the Good News proclaimed by Jesus, and this is shown by his closeness to sinners and to all those in need, and whose table he often shared. At the end of his life, he left us the Eucharistic meal, as his own memorial.

Yet many did not accept the invitation, even those who had been invited in advance. Many, even ourselves, find it difficult to accept the invitation to believe that God is so generous.