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reading of the letter of St Paul to the
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Philippians Brothers if there is
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consolation in life in Christ if there
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is encouragement in mutual love if there
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is communion in the spirit if there is
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tenderness and compassion then make my
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joy complete aspire to the same thing
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United in the same love live in harmony
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seeking Unity do nothing out of
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competition or vain Glory but with
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humility each one should judge that the
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other is more important and not only
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take care of what is yours but also what
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belongs to the other word of the Lord
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God proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus
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Christ according to St Luke Glory To You
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Lord at that time Jesus said to the
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chief of the pH es who had invited him
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when you give a lunch or a dinner do not
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invite your friends nor your brothers
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nor your relatives nor your Rich
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neighbors for they could also invite you
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and this would be your reward on the
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contrary when you throw a party invite
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the poor the crippled the lame the blind
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then you will be happy word of
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Salvation Glory To You Lord
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dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ
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imagine a dining table not just any
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table but a table that stretches Beyond
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the Horizon where every seat is special
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every chair is a throne of honor and
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every guest is treated like royalty this
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is the vision of the kingdom of God that
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Jesus presents to us today a vision that
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profoundly challenges our common
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understanding of status honor and
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relationship ships in the letter to the
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Philippians Paul offers us a beautiful
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Prelude to this Vision if there be any
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consolation in Christ any comfort in
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charity any communion in the spirit any
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tenderness and compassion notice how he
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begins not with a command but with a
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gentle appeal to the heart it's as if
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Paul is saying if you have ever
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experienced the love of Christ if you
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have ever felt the warmth of his Embrace
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if you have ever been touched by his
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grace and who Among Us wasn't who has
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not experienced moments of divine
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consolation amidst the storms of life
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who has not felt that Gentle Touch of
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the holy spirit in moments of loneliness
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or despair Paul is reminding us of our
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own experience of divine love to
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motivate us to a deeper love for others
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he continues with a moving request make
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my joy complete having the same feeling
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the same love the Same Soul Soul the
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same thoughts Paul is not asking for
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uniformity but Unity it is not seeking
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that everyone thinks exactly the same
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but that everyone loves the same way
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with the depth and generosity of
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Christ's love and then comes the central
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challenge do nothing out of competition
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and vain Glory but in humility each
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considering others better than himself
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what a revolution these words propose in
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a world obsessed with status where
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social networks have become showcases
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for self-promotion where me first is
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almost a mantra Paulo suggests a radical
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inversion of values this is where
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today's Gospel connects perfectly with
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Paul's message Jesus is having dinner at
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the house of one of the chief Pharisees
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and observes how the people choose the
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first seats instead of a simple
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criticism of social vanity Jesus Takes
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the opportunity to teach a profound
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lesson about the kingdom of God
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when you give a lunch or dinner says
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Jesus do not invite your friends nor
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your brothers nor your relatives nor
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your Rich neighbors why because there is
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a risk of Retribution of turning the
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free gift of love into a commercial
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transaction instead Jesus proposes
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revolutionary when you throw a party
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invite the poor the crippled the lame
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the blind those who cannot reciprocate
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those that Society often
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marginalizes those that won't increase
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your social status or your network of
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influence this isn't just a lesson in
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Social etiquette it is a revelation
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about the nature of the kingdom of God
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in the Kingdom a person's worth is not
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measured by their ability to return
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favors but by their intrinsic dignity as
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a son or daughter of God think for a
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moment when was the last time you did
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something nice without expecting
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anything in return When was the last
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time you reached out to someone who
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couldn't return the favor when was the
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last time you loved simply for the sake
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of loving Paul gives us the key to this
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kind of love when he says each person
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must take care not only of his own but
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also of the interest of others this is
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not a call to neglect our own needs but
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an invitation to expand our circle of
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concern and care it's as if Paul and
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Jesus are telling us look beyond your
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comfortable little Circle see those on
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the margins notice the invisible love
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the unloved and what a wonderful promise
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Jesus offers you will be rewarded in the
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resurrection of the righteous it is not
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a promise of immediate retribution or
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social recognition but something much
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deeper and more lasting the joy of
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participating in the very nature of God
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who causes the sun to rise on the evil
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and the good and sends rain on the just
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and the unjust so how can we live these
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truths today how can we transform our
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dinner tables into symbols of the
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kingdom of God first we need to examine
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our motives why do we do what we do why
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do we help who we help why do we love
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who we love if our actions are motivated
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primarily by the expectation of
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Retribution or recognition we need to
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reorient our hearts second we must
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actively seek opportunities to serve
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those who cannot repay us this could
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mean volunteering at a homeless shelter
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visiting lonely elderly people mentoring
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at risk youth or simply noticing and
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appreciating the people we normally
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ignore in our daily lives third we need
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to cultivate the humility that Paul
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mentions this does not mean thinking
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less of ourselves but thinking about
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ourselves less it is putting the
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interests of others alongside our own
6:56
interests seeing each person as someone
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worthy of honor and respect my dear
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brothers and sisters today we are
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invited to a radically different way of
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living a way that challenges our natural
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tendency towards self-promotion and
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self-interest a way that reflects God's
7:14
generous and inclusive heart imagine a
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community where each person is valued
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not for their usefulness or status but
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for their Humanity where the table is
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always set for one more where love is
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given freely with no expectation of
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return where humility and service are
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the marks of greatness this is not an
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impossible Utopia it is the vision of
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the kingdom of God that Jesus presents
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to us and every small Act of selfless
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love every gesture of inclusion every
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choice to serve instead of being served
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brings us a little closer to this
7:51
reality May the Holy Spirit give us the
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grace to live like this with humility
7:57
generosity and truly self love may we be
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Builders of this Kingdom where everyone
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has a seat at the table where everyone
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is honored where everyone is loved and
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May the peace of Christ which surpasses
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all understanding guard your hearts and
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Minds in the love of God
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Amen St Michael the Archangel defend Us
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in battle be our protection against the
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wickedness and snares of the devil may
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God rebuke him we humbly pray and do
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thou oh Prince of the Heavenly Host by
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the power of God cast into hell Satan
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and all the evil spirits who prow
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throughout the world seeking the ruin of
