UNDERSTAND THIS MYSTERY…

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

1 I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin.2 God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel?11 So I ask, have they stumbled so as to fall? By no means! But through their trespass salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel jealous.12 Now if their trespass means riches for the world, and if their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion mean!

25 Lest you be wise in your own conceits, I want you to understand this mystery, brethren: a hardening has come upon part of Israel, until the full number of the Gentiles come in,26 and so all Israel will be saved; as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”; 27 “and this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins.”28 As regards the gospel they are enemies of God, for your sake; but as regards election they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers.29 For the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable.

Luke 14:1,7-11

1 One sabbath when he went to dine at the house of a ruler who belonged to the Pharisees, they were watching him.
7 Now he told a parable to those who were invited, when he marked how they chose the places of honor, saying to them, 8 “When you are invited by any one to a marriage feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest a more eminent man than you be invited by him;9 and he who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give place to this man,’ and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place. 
10 But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, go up higher’; then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you.
11 For every one who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

MEDITATION

St PAUL ADDRESS  a part of the Zion community who appeared to be jealous of the fact that the gentile community has been given a higher status in this ‘newfound’ Abrahamic Christian community. Paul makes the point that God favored the gentiles precisely because the chosen ones He foreknew have rejected His Son who was send to deliver them! 
Paul extend an olive branch to His fellow Hebrew community, when he assert that not all is lost if they abandon their ungodliness, except the good news of Christ and humble themselves to effect God’s forgiveness of their sins. 

THE GOSPEL READING: Christ Jesus address His dinner host and fellow Pharisaical community on the matter of etiquette, status or protocol when they have been invited and given the opportunity to attend a wedding feast. Jesus’ reference to the auspicious wedding feast, point to the Eucharistic Sacrificial offering, a new Sabbath celebration whereby God’s people would partake of his flesh and blood. It is in this context that it would be wrong and out of line that the Hebrew people are the only invited guests who would occupy the front row seats.

Today’s reading also address those of us who conclude that because we have been saved by the blood of Christ, our place have been elevated to the extent that we have a kind of certainty that we aught to occupy the most prestigious place on the altar or in heaven! Not so, says Jesus! Our ecclesial status and salvation is a prudential mystery such that whilst we are still on the journey we can only; hope, pray, fast, remain free from sin and continue to faithfully journey with Christ until He return to judge us. Let us leave it to Christ to elevate us, instead of behaving and preaching as if we have already been eternally saved!

LET US PRAY:Psalms 94:12-15,17-18

12 Blessed is the man whom thou dost chasten, O LORD, and whom thou dost teach out of thy law
13 to give him respite from days of trouble, until a pit is dug for the wicked.
14 For the LORD will not forsake his people; he will not abandon his heritage;
15 for justice will return to the righteous, and all the upright in heart will follow it.17 If the LORD had not been my help, my soul would soon have dwelt in the land of silence.18 When I thought, “My foot slips,” thy steadfast love, O LORD, held me up.

Author. Henry R SYLVESTER Note: The daily scripture readings are taken from the Roman Missal which the Catholic Church use in the daily Celebration of the Holy Eucharist throughout the world.Some weekly readings may differ because of the celebration of local feast days