22nd Sunday of Ordinary Time
First Reading: Sirach 3:17-18,20,28-29
My child, conduct your affairs with humility, and you will be loved
more than a giver of gifts. Humble yourself the more, the greater you
are, and you will find favor with God. What is too sublime for you, seek
not, into things beyond your strength search not. The mind of a sage
appreciates proverbs, and an attentive ear is the wise man's joy. Water
quenches a flaming fire, and alms atone for sins.
Second Reading: Hebrews 12:18-19,22-24
Brothers and sisters, you have not approached that which could be
touched and a blazing fire and gloomy darkness and storm and a trumpet
blast and a voice speaking words such that those who heard begged that
no message be further addressed to them. No, you have approached Mount
Zion and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and
countless angels in festal gathering, and the assembly of the firstborn
enrolled in heaven, and God the judge of all, and the spirits of the
just made perfect, and Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant
Gospel Reading: Luke 14:1,7-14
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 everyone 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."
