Twenty Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

Sirach 3:17-20, 28-29 (JB)

A reading from the book of Ecclesiasticus

Humble yourself and you will find favour with the Lord.

My son, be gentle in carrying out your business,

and you will be better loved than a lavish giver.

The greater you are, the more you should behave humbly,

and then you will find favour with the Lord;

for great though the power of the Lord is,

he accepts the homage of the humble.

There is no cure for the proud man’s malady,

since an evil growth has taken root in him.

The heart of a sensible man will reflect on parables,

an attentive ear is the sage’s dream.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Sirach 3:17-20, 28-29 (NRSV)

A reading from the book of Sirach

My child, perform your tasks with humility;

then you will be loved by those whom God accepts.

The greater you are,

the more you must humble yourself;

so you will find favour in the sight of the Lord.

Many are lofty and renowned,

but to the humble the Lord reveals his secrets.

For great is the might of the Lord;

but by the humble he is glorified.

When calamity befalls the proud,

there is no healing,

for an evil plant has taken root in them.

The mind of the intelligent appreciates proverbs,

and an attentive ear is the desire of the wise.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Ps 67:4-7, 10-11 (JB)

R. God, in your goodness, you have made a home for the poor.

The just shall rejoice at the presence of God,

they shall exult and dance for joy.

O sing to the Lord, make music to his name;

rejoice in the Lord, exult at his presence. R.

Father of the orphan, defender of the widow,

such is God in his holy place.

God gives the lonely a home to live in;

he leads the prisoners forth into freedom. R.

You poured down, O God, a generous rain:

when your people were starved you gave them new life.

It was there that your people found a home,

prepared in your goodness, O God, for the poor. R.

Hebrews 12:18-19, 22-24 (JB)

A reading from the letter to the Hebrews

You have to come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God.

What you have come to is nothing known to the senses: not a blazing fire, or a gloom turning to total darkness, or a storm; or trumpeting thunder or the great voice speaking which made everyone that heard it beg that no more should be said to them. But what you have come to is Mount Zion and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem where the millions of angels have gathered for the festival, with the whole Church in which everyone is a ‘first-born son’ and a citizen of heaven. You have come to God himself, the supreme Judge, and been placed with spirits of the saints who have been made perfect; and to Jesus, the mediator who brings a new covenant.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Hebrews 12:18-19, 22-24 (NRSV)

A reading from the letter to the Hebrews

You have not come to something that can be touched,

a blazing fire, and darkness, and gloom,

and a tempest, and the sound of a trumpet,

and a voice whose words made the hearers beg

that not another word be spoken to them.

But you have come to Mount Zion

and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem,

and to innumerable angels in festal gathering,

and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven,

and to God the judge of all,

and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect,

and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Matthew 11:29 (JB)

Alleluia, alleluia!

Take my yoke upon you;

learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart.

Alleluia!

Matthew 11:29 (NRSV)

Alleluia, alleluia!

Take my yoke upon you;

learn from me, for I am gentle and humble of heart.

Alleluia!

Luke 14:1, 7-14 (JB)

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke

All who exalt themselves shall be humbled and all who humble themselves shall be exalted

On a sabbath day Jesus had gone for a meal to the house of one of the leading Pharisees; and they watched him closely. He then told the guests a parable, because he had noticed how they picked the places of honour. He said this, ‘When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take your seat in the place of honour. A more distinguished person than you may have been invited, and the person who invited you both may come and say, “Give up your place to this man.” And then, to your embarrassment, you would have to go and take the lowest place. No; when you are a guest, make your way to the lowest place and sit there, so that, when your host comes, he may say, “My friend, move up higher.” In that way, everyone with you at the table will see you honoured. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the man who humbles himself will be exalted.’

Then he said to his host, ‘When you give a lunch or a dinner, do not ask your friends, brothers, relations or rich neighbours, for fear they repay your courtesy by inviting you in return. No; when you have a party, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; that they cannot pay you back means that you are fortunate, because repayment will be made to you when the virtuous rise again.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Luke 14:1, 7-14 (NRSV)

A reading from the holy gospel according to Luke

On one occasion when Jesus was going to the house of a leader of the Pharisees

to eat a meal on the sabbath,

the lawyers and Pharisees were watching him closely.

When Jesus noticed how the guests chose the places of honour,

he told them a parable.

“When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet,

do not sit down at the place of honour,

in case someone more distinguished than you

has been invited by your host;

and the host who invited both of you

may come and say to you,

‘Give this person your place,’

and then in disgrace you would start to take the lowest place.

“But when you are invited,

go and sit down at the lowest place,

so that when your host comes,

he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher’;

then you will be honoured

in the presence of all who sit at the table with you.

For all who exalt themselves will be humbled,

and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Jesus said also to the Pharisee who had invited him,

“When you give a luncheon or a dinner,

do not invite your friends or your brothers or sisters

or your relatives or rich neighbours,

in case they may invite you in return,

and you would be repaid.

But when you give a banquet,

invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind.

And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you,

for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.