1

Sunday, September 1, 2013 The 15th Sunday after Pentecost Lectionary 22 Iglesia Luterana Cristo Rey El Paso, TX Pastor Dena Williams Proverbs 25:6-7 Psalm 112 Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16 Luke 14:1, 7-14 Un da Jess fue a comer a casa de un notable de los *fariseos. Era *sbado, as que stos estaban acechando a Jess. Al notar cmo los invitados escogan los lugares de honor en la mesa, les cont esta parbola: 8 Cuando alguien te invite a una fiesta de bodas, no te sientes en el lugar de honor, no sea que haya algn invitado ms distinguido que t. 9 Si es as, el que los invit a los dos vendr y te dir: Cdele tu asiento a este hombre. Entonces, avergonzado, tendrs que ocupar el ltimo asiento. 10 Ms bien, cuando te inviten, sintate en el ltimo lugar, para que cuando venga el que te invit, te diga: Amigo, pasa ms adelante a un lugar mejor. As recibirs honor en presencia de todos los dems

invitados. 11 Todo el que a s mismo se enaltece ser humillado, y el que se humilla ser enaltecido. 12 Tambin dijo Jess al que lo haba invitado: Cuando des una comida o una cena, no invites a tus amigos, ni a tus hermanos, ni a tus parientes, ni a tus vecinos ricos; no sea que ellos, a su vez, te inviten y as seas recompensado. 13 Ms bien, cuando des un banquete, invita a los pobres, a los invlidos, a los cojos y a los ciegos. 14 Entonces sers *dichoso, pues aunque ellos no tienen con qu recompensarte, sers recompensado en la resurreccin de los justos.

The Holy Gospel according to the Community of St. Luke in the 14th Chapter Glory to you, O Lord On one occasion when Jesus was going to the house of a leader of the Pharisees to eat a meal on the sabbath, they were watching him closely. When he noticed how the guests chose the places of honor, he told them a parable.

"When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not sit down at the place of honor, 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 honored 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." He said also to the one who had invited him, "When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, 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, O Christ A Place at the Table Humility What on earth is humility? Jesus says those who lift themselves up will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be lifted up. Now, we all know people who lift themselves up, who think and act as though they are better or more handsome or more important than others. We have no trouble pointing out those people . . . Not ourselves, of course, we would never act high and mighty! Well, maybe sometimes we all do . . . We do it when were afraid, dont we? We know what that looks like! But what . . . is . . . humility?! I hear someone described as humble, and I wonder what that person is like; what does it mean to be humble? Can you think of someone you know who you would describe as humble? Who do you know who is truly humble? Okay, take a minute and tell someone near you who your humble person is. Go aheadlift up the names of some humble people.

Im guessing that your humble person reflects this understanding of humility: A humble person is not someone who thinks less of himself, a humble person is someone who thinks of himself less. One more time: We sometimes think a humble person is someone who feels bad about who they are, who thinks they are not important or capable or lovable, or someone who is poor. A truly humble person, however, is not someone with low self esteem, not someone who lacks confidence, not someone who is taken advantage of by others, not necessarily someone who is poor. A humble person looks out for others, worries less about his or her own comfort, pays attention and finds ways to help others be happier, healthier, more comfortable. Thats a humble person. Are you thinking of someone like that, a humble person? Is that person someone who thinks less about his own needs and more about the needs of others? I am thinking about a humble person. Let me tell you about my friend, my humble person. He left his hometown when he was about 30 years old. He began his career as a preacher and he was a very good preacher. Soon many people knew his name and admired him

he soon became famous! He was poor, though, his fame did not make him rich. He was also an outsider. He was often profiled and questioned by the authorities. One weekend he came back to his hometown. He went to worship on the Sabbath as he always did. At his small house of worship, the people took turns reading the lessons from The Bible. When the reader finished reading the lesson, he was to sit down with the people and teach about the reading, explain what he thought the holy words meant. Their was no pastor, the people just took turns not a bad idea! What do you think, Pastor Rosemary?! Now, my friend was a very confident man, a man who believed in himself, a man who was certainly not afraid to read and teach in worship. So, he volunteered to be the reader and teacher this day. He took the holy book, stood up, and read these words from the Book of Isaiah: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed meto bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lords favour. My friend said, The Word of the Lord The people responded: Thanks be to God

My friend sat down and began to teach about the reading from the Bible. He explained to the people that the most important thing in life is how we treat others. He particularly told this room full of white people that they should, most especially, care for all people. He said God loves all people, white and brown and black God loves all people and we are called by God to take care of everyone, no matter what color they are or what language they speak or where they were born. Well! The people of the congregation started shouting and waving their arms! They chased my humble friend out of town and were about to throw him off a cliff to his death! He was able, with Gods help, to escape. Now, before my friend told the people to be humble, to take care of all people, to care less about their own needs and more about the needs of others, before he said these things, he said something else. He read the words from The Bible, the words that describe the Messiah, the anointed one who is coming to save the world. He read these words and then he sat down and said to the people, Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing. He told them he was the Messiah! He told them he was the Messiah and they did not get upset or shout or chase him away!

it was not until he tried to teach the people, not to think less of themselves, but to think more about the needs others, it was not until this humble man tried the to teach the people how to be humble . . . Then they were angry. Then they chased him out of town. Then they tried to kill him. Why? Because he spoke the truth. Because he taught them about humility. Because he said, in his own words: A humble person is not someone who thinks less of herself, a humble person is someone who thinks of herself less. This truly humble man, my friend, your friend, our Jesus did finally die at the hands of his enemies. One More Story, Another True Story One Christmas, a little girl asked her Daddy about Jesus. He told her the story. He told her about Jesus message of love for all people. She asked about the end of the story. He told her the people killed Jesus because of his message of love. In January, she saw a poster of Martin Luther King, Jr. She asked her Daddy, Whos that?

He told her King was a preacher, a preacher for Jesus. He told her Martin Luther King said that we should treat everyone the same, no matter what they looked like. The little girl said, Well, thats what Jesus said. Then she looked up at her Daddy and asked, Did they kill him, too? God calls us to live out Jesus message, Martin Luther Kings message, a message calling us to true humility, not to think less of ourselves, but to think more of others. Amen

Un lugar en la mesa Humildad Qu es la humildad ? Jesus dice: 11 Todo el que a s mismo se enaltece ser humillado, y el que se humilla ser enaltecido. Ahora , todos sabemos como son las personas que se alaban a s mismas,actuar como si fueran mejores o ms guapos,o ms importantes que otros . No tenemos problemas en sealar a esas personas. . . Pero eso nunca pasa con nosotros, por supuesto, No es asi? nunca somos altaneros no?! Bueno, tal vez todos lo hacemos alguna vez Lo hacemos cuando tenemos miedo , verdad ?

10

Pero, qu . . . es . . . la humildad ! Como es una persona humilde , qu significa ser humilde ? Puedes pensar en alguien? Bueno, tome un minuto y piense en alguien cerca de usted que es una su persona humilde. Mencione en voz alta los nombres de algunas personas humildes . Supongo la persona que menciono refleja este significado de la humildad : " Una persona humilde no es alguien que piensa menos de s mismo, una persona humilde es una persona que piensa menos en el y mas de otras personas " . Una vez ms : A veces pensamos que una persona humilde es alguien que se siente mal por lo que son, que piensa que no son importantes o que no son dignos de ser amado , o alguien que es pobre. Una persona verdaderamente humilde , sin embargo, no es una persona con baja autoestima, no es alguien que carece de confianza, no es alguien que deja que abusen de el o ella, no es necesariamente alguien que es pobre. Una persona humilde siempre esta preucupada por los dems, y no tanto por su propia comodidad , presta atencin y encuentra maneras de ayudar a los dems a ser ms feliz , ms sano, ms cmodo. Esa es una persona humilde .

11

Ests pensando en alguien as, una persona humilde ? Es esa persona a alguien que piensa menos en sus propias necesidades y ms acerca de las necesidades de los dems? Djenme decirles acerca de mi amigo que es una persona humilde. Dej su ciudad natal cuando tena unos 30 aos de edad. Comenz su carrera como predicador y l era un muy buen predicador . Pronto muchas personas conocan su nombre y le admiraban Pronto se hizo famoso! Era pobre , sin embargo, su fama no le hizo rico. l tambin era un extranjero. A menudo era interrogado por las autoridades por su raza. Un fin de semana regres a su ciudad natal . Se fue a la Iglesia en sbado como siempre lo haca. En su pequea casa iglesia las personas se turnaban para leer las lecciones de la Biblia . Cuando el lector termino la lectura, fue a sentarse con la gente y ensear acerca de la lectura, explico lo que l pens que las palabras sagradas significaban. No habia su pastor, la gente slo se turnaba no es una mala idea! Qu piensa usted , Pastora Rose Mary ! Ahora, mi amigo era un hombre seguro de si mismo, un hombre que creia en s mismo, un hombre que ciertamente no tena miedo de leer y ensear en durante la misa.

12

Por lo tanto, se ofreci como voluntario para ser el lector y profesor de este da. Tom el libro sagrado , se puso de pie , y leyo estas palabras del libro de Isaas : " El Espritu del Seor est sobre m , porque l me ha ungido para dar buenas nuevas a los pobres. Me ha enviado a proclamar la liberacin a los cautivos y dar vista a los ciegos; dejar libres a los oprimidos , a proclamar el ao de gracia del Seor . Mi amigo dijo: " La palabra del Seor " La gente respondi : " Gracias a Dios " Mi amigo se sent y comenz a ensearles acerca de la lectura de la Biblia. l explic a la gente que lo ms importante en la vida es la forma en que tratamos a los dems . En particular, le dijo a esto a todas las personas blancas de que deben tratar bien a las personas. Dijo que Dios ama a todas las personas , blanco y marrn y negro Dios ama a todas las personas y estamos llamados por Dios para cuidar de todos, no importa de qu color son o qu idioma hablen o que los vio nacer . Bueno ! La gente de la congregacin comenzo a gritar y a levantar sus brazos ! Ellos persiguieron a mi humilde amigo fuera de la ciudad y estaban a punto de tirarlo por un acantilado a su muerte ! l pudo escapar , con la ayuda de Dios.

13

Ahora, antes de que mi amigo le dijera a la gente a ser humilde a cuidar de todas las personas, y pensar menos sobre sus propias necesidades y ms acerca de las necesidades de los dems. Antes de decir estas cosas, dijo algo ms. Ley las palabras de la Biblia , las palabras que describen al Mesas , el ungido que viene a salvar al mundo. Ley estas palabras y luego se sent y dijo al pueblo: "Hoy esta Escritura se ha cumplido en vuestros odos . " l les dijo que l era el Mesas ! Cuando l les dijo que l era el Mesas la gente no se enojo ni grito No fue hasta que trat de ensear a la gente , que pensaran menos en s mismos y ms en las necesidades de los dems e intento ensearles a ser mas humilde que se enojaron . Entonces ellos lo persiguieron fuera de la ciudad . Luego intentaron matarlo. Por qu? Porque l deca la verdad. Porque les enseaba acerca de la humildad . Porque l dijo , en sus propias palabras : " Una persona humilde no es alguien que piensa que es menos que los demas, una persona humilde es alguien que piensa menos en si mismos Este hombre era verdaderamente humilde , mi amigo , su amigo Jesus, El era el extranjero

14

Pero finalmente El muere a manos de sus enemigos. Una historia ms , otra historia verdadera Una Navidad, una nia le pregunt a su pap acerca de Jess. l le cont la historia . Le habl del amor que Jess tiene por todas las personas. Ella le pregunt sobre el final de la historia . l le dijo: la gente mato a Jess por su mensaje de amor . En el mes de enero la nina vio un cartel de Martin Luther King, Jr. Le pregunto a su pap , " Quin es? " l le dijo que King era un predicador, un predicador de Jess. l le dijo que Martin Luther King dijo que debemos tratar a todos por igual , independientemente de lo que son. La nia dijo: "Bueno , eso es lo que Jess dijo . " Luego mir a su pap y le pregunt: " Lo mataron , tambin? " Dios nos llama a vivir el mensaje de Jess , El mensaje de Martin Luther King, un mensaje que nos llama a ser verdaderamente humildes. nos llama a pensar menos en nosotros mismos,y pensar ms en los dems . Amn