Jesus gives a lesson in humility that he fulfills in the most amazing way possible on the 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C.
What he does is so amazing, in fact, that many Christians in America simply don’t believe he actually did it.
Jesus enters the home of a leading Pharisee and is watched very carefully by his guests.
The Gospel passage in Mass from Luke starts on the first verse of Chapter 14, and then immediately leaps to Verse 7. The first verse reminds us that Jesus is dining among enemies who are always looking for evidence to prove that he’s not as special as he claims. This, of course, is exactly what Christians face in an increasingly secular culture. People watch us, eager to say, “See, those Christians aren’t anything special!”
Jesus’s advice is very much targeted toward this very situation: What do you do when people are watching you, judging your every move? His answer: Show them how Jesus Christ himself acts.
“Do not recline at table in the place of…
