First Reading: Rom 11:1-2,11-12,25-29
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 fore-
knew. 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: Ps 94:12-13, 14-15, 17-18
R./ 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.
Gospel Reading: Lk 14:1,7-11
One sabbath Jesus had gone to eat a meal in the house of a leading Pharisee, and he was carefully watched.
Jesus then told a parable to the guests, for he had noticed how they tried to take the places of honor. And he said, "When you are invited to a wedding party, do not choose the best seat. It may happen that someone more important than you has been invited, and your host, who invited both of you, will come and say to you: 'Please give this person your place.' What shame is yours when you take the lowest seat!
"Whenever you are invited, go rather to the lowest seat, so that your host may come and say to you: 'Friend, you must come up higher.' And this will be a great honor for you in the presence of all the other guests. For whoever makes himself out to be great will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be raised."
