Discover the true meaning of Jesus’ words in Luke 14:12–14 through a touching story and practical reflection. (Syro- Malabar: 27-7-25)
Praise be to Jesus Christ
We all like to be called blessed. We long for God’s favour, His nearness, His hand upon our lives. But in today’s Gospel, Jesus gives a surprising path to blessedness. He says, “When you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. Then you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you.”
There was once a man who had been planning a big journey. He had waited many weeks for a special invitation to meet some famous people at a gathering in a big city. He was thrilled that he might get to take pictures with celebrities. That morning, he rushed to the railway station, suitcase in hand. The platform was crowded, and just as he reached his train, it was about to leave.
At that moment, he heard shouting near a tea stall. A few angry men were hitting a small boy who had stolen something from the shop. The boy was crying and scared. The man had only a few seconds to decide. If he waited, he would miss the train. But something in his heart said, “This child needs you more than that meeting.”
He stepped back from the train and ran toward the crowd. Gently pushing through, he embraced the boy and begged them to stop hitting him. He reached into his pocket and paid the money the shopkeeper had asked for. Everyone slowly backed away.
Then something happened that he would never forget. The boy looked up at him with wide eyes and asked, “Are you Jesus?” Tears welled up in the man’s eyes. He had missed the train, missed the event, and missed the photos. But in that moment, he knew he had received something greater. A blessing not captured in a picture, but imprinted into his soul.
This is the heart of today’s Gospel. That is what Jesus means when He says, “Invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind. Then you will be blessed because they cannot repay you.” Jesus, more than giving advice about dinner invitations, He is teaching us how to live, how to love and how to give in a way that reflects the heart of God.
The world teaches us to give and expect something back. If I help you, I want gratitude. If I serve, I want to be noticed. But the Gospel teaches us a new way — to serve quietly, to give humbly, and to love those who have nothing to give in return.
Look at Fr. Damien, a young priest from Belgium, had volunteered to live among them. Not for a day. Not for a week. But for the rest of his life.
He built homes. He bandaged wounds. He ate with them, touched their sores, buried their dead, and called them “my brothers and sisters.” One day, after many years of service, he began his homily with just two words:
“We lepers…”
He had become one of them — not just in body, but in love.
The Old Testament, too, carries this message. In the book of Proverbs, it says, “Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and He will reward them for what they have done.” What we give to those in need is received by God Himself.
This message is needed today more than ever. In a world where value is measured by profit, Jesus calls us to measure by love. In a time when many seek status, Jesus invites us to choose humility. And when people run after repayment and recognition, He asks us to find joy in secret generosity.
If you love someone who cannot thank you, if you serve quietly without being noticed, if you forgive someone who may never apologise — take courage. That is the Gospel alive in you. That is what it means to be truly blessed.
Lord, let me see You in needy that they may see You in me .
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God Bless…
