Saturday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time
October 30, 2021
Saturday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 484
Reading I
Brothers and sisters:
I ask, then, has God rejected his people?
Of course not!
For I too am a child of Israel, a descendant of Abraham,
of the tribe of Benjamin.
God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew.
Do you not know what the Scripture says about Elijah,
how he pleads with God against Israel?
Hence I ask, did they stumble so as to fall?
Of course not!
But through their transgression
salvation has come to the Gentiles,
so as to make them jealous.
Now if their transgression is enrichment for the world,
and if their diminished number is enrichment for the Gentiles,
how much more their full number.
I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers and sisters,
so that you will not become wise in your own estimation:
a hardening has come upon Israel in part,
until the full number of the Gentiles comes in,
and thus all Israel will be saved, as it is written:
The deliverer will come out of Zion,
he will turn away godlessness from Jacob;
and this is my covenant with them
when I take away their sins.
In respect to the Gospel, they are enemies on your account;
but in respect to election,
they are beloved because of the patriarch.
For the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable.
Responsorial Psalm
- (14a) The Lord will not abandon his people.
Blessed the man whom you instruct, O LORD,
whom by your law you teach,
Giving him rest from evil days.
R. The Lord will not abandon his people.
For the LORD will not cast off his people,
nor abandon his inheritance;
But judgment shall again be with justice,
and all the upright of heart shall follow it.
R. The Lord will not abandon his people.
Were not the LORD my help,
my soul would soon dwell in the silent grave.
When I say, “My foot is slipping,”
your mercy, O LORD, sustains me.
R. The Lord will not abandon his people.
Alleluia
- Alleluia, alleluia.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,
For I am meek and humble of heart.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
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.”
Reflection: REAL HUMILITY
There is an old saying that God writes straight with crooked lines. "God makes all things work together for the good of those who love Him”. Joseph's brothers abandoned him in a well. He was forced to spend years in Egypt as a slave and a prisoner. Yet, God brought Joseph out of prison to lead Egypt through a time of severe famine. Joseph later told his brothers: "Even though you meant harm to me, God meant it for good, to achieve his present end, the survival of many people." God uses even man's opposition to advance His plan. Many first-century Jews did not accept Jesus as Messiah and Lord. It seemed the ministry of Jesus to His people failed. Yet God turned this failure to triumph because the Gentiles began to accept Jesus as a result of Jewish unbelief. In the Gospel today Jesus accepts the invitation to lunch by a Pharisee. He uses the opportunity to teach them about the kingdom of God. He speaks about choosing places at dinner table. It is true that to give up one's own place to others could be humiliating and it is even more humiliating when one has to move to the last place. This is exactly what Jesus, the only begotten Son of God, equal to God chose, the last place among the last, least, and the lost in society. He considered the last place as a privilege. Consequently, He made all of us equal.