Christ, self-emptying and lowly, is the one whom guests eat and drink at the Holy Supper.  All of them are poor; they cannot pay him back. 

For the Pharisees, good Jews do not eat lunch, dinner or supper with sinners.  Maybe they think that to get close to those society deems are sinners is to be lax.  And the lax could leave the door open to the watering down of faith and morals.

On this matter, of course, the Pharisees have Jesus in mind.  They do not trust him.  So, they keep an eye on him, though he is a guest of a leading Pharisee; this guest might just shock them, as he did when he sat at table but did not wash his hands first. 

But no, he does not water down the law and the prophets.  After all, he does not do away with them but fulfills them.  So, his words against murder are as tough as those against anger.  And for him, just to look at a woman with lust is to commit adultery.  Besides, he is not for striking back.  He also teaches love for enemies.

And now he gives a face-saving advice not to choose the first or best seat at table.  Yet all the while he turns things upside-down:  high is low, low is high, first is last, last is first.

But he turns things even more upside-down.  For he asks those who would give lunch, dinner or supper to have as guests those who cannot return the favor.  That is, he calls for dealings that go beyond the terms, “I give you so you may give me.”  He wants that we get on well with each other without looking at all for our own interests.  And this, and to seek also to be low and last, goes against the grain of our instinct.

So, no, there is nothing lax about this new thing from Jesus.

Lord Jesus, grant that we do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit.  And that, lowly, we deem others to be better than ourselves.  We shall thus live what we celebrate at your Holy Supper.  Grant, too, that we keep the true religion of the poor and give them thanks for feeding us (SV.EN XI:190-191).

31 August 2025
22nd Sunday in O.T. (C)
Sir 3, 17-18. 20. 28-29; Heb 12, 18-19. 22-24a; Lk 14, 1. 7-14