22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year C
Today, Jesus instructs the guests at the Wedding celebration meal to do the opposite of what they would normally. They were told to give up their places, so a more distinguished guest could take them. And sit themselves at the lowest place at table. By doing this first, they may be invited to move higher later by the host.
This is good advice for us all, especially when we go out for meals at restaurants or maybe at people’s homes.
I remember when I was on placement as a Seminarian, when having big festive Christmas party in the presbytery in Carlisle, loads of people were invited, and I would stay towards the back of the line, heading towards the dining room, to wait for my turn to be seated. 99% of the time I would remain at the bottom end of the table, which suited me fine, away from the lime light. But sometimes at other events, if I wasn’t concentrating, I would walk in first, and then I would get a long hard stare from the Parish Priest hosting the party to move aside for the other guests.
The gospel message today is teaching us that reversal is better. The last will be first, and the first last. Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.
We see this happen at Mary’s visitation to Elizabeth. During Mary’s Magnificat she said, ‘the Lord looks on his servant in her lowliness, henceforth all ages will call me blessed.’ and later on she continues ‘He casts the mighty from their thrones and raises the lowly.’
The reason Jesus preached this message, is because he also lived it. He humbled himself by accepting death, death on a cross. The most humiliating and cruel means for execution in the Roman Empire. But God the Father allowed him to be greatly exalted. ‘When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all people to myself.’ Jesus being raised up on the cross was his Exaltation and Glorification for all the world to see.
At every Mass, we are brought back to this very moment, transported back in time and space to the first and only Sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross at Golgotha.
When the Eucharist is raised up by the priest in a short while, we are seeing Jesus’ Exaltation and Glorification on the cross at Golgotha. A great sacrifice and most sacred free gift from God for the remission of our sins, that conquers all evil and wipes away our sadness from our lives.
As you know, the Mass is a foretaste of our heavenly banquet. In the Gospel, Jesus uses the setting of a wedding to explain how we can enter the heavenly banquet ourselves in God’s Kingdom. When we are told to humble ourselves and to help others, who can’t return the favour. In a time with increasing food and fuel bills, many people are finding it difficult to put food on the table. Let us all help each other, over the next few months, in this time of uncertainty, with charity and loving kindness.
Maybe we could invite someone for a meal who are finding life tough at the minute.
We are all unworthy of the great gift of Salvation, and it is only through God’s will and love for us, that we are able to receive this sacred gift of everlasting life in Heaven.
To eat at the Lord’s heavenly banquet is ours if we truly want it, but we must trust in the Lord’s commands and humble ourselves to become last of all, to receive our eternal reward.
Rev. Fr Philip Wrigley's Blog 