First Reading

Reading from the letter of the Apostle Saint Paul to the Philippians

Philippians 2, 5-11

Brothers and sisters:
Have the same attitude
that Christ Jesus had,
who, though he was God,
did not consider that he should cling
to the prerogatives of his divine condition,
but rather, he emptied himself
taking the condition of a servant,
and became like human beings.
Thus, made one of them, he humbled himself
and out of obedience accepted even death,
and death on a cross.

Therefore God exalted him above all things
and granted him the name that is above every name,
so that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bend
in heaven, on earth, and in the depths,
and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

Gospel

Reading from the holy Gospel according to Saint Luke

Luke 14, 15-24

At that time, one of those reclining at table with Jesus said to him: “Blessed is the one who will eat bread in the kingdom of God”.

Then Jesus said to him: “A man prepared a great banquet and invited many people. When the hour of the banquet came, he sent his servant to tell the invited guests to come, because everything was now ready. But they all alike began to make excuses. One said to him: ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it; please excuse me’. Another said: ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to examine them; please excuse me’. And another said: ‘I have just married, and therefore I cannot come’.

The servant returned and reported this to his master. Then the master became angry and said to his servant: ‘Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame’.

When the servant came back, he said: ‘Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room’. Then the master said to the servant: ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel people to come in, so that my house will be full. I tell you, not one of those who were invited will taste my banquet’ ”.