When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honour at the table, Jesus told them this parable: “When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honour, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you: ‘Give this person your seat.’ Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honoured in the presence of all the other guests. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” (Luke 14:7-11).
Jesus was in a meeting with friends, probably a dinner party, and noticed that people picked the places on the table that were closer to the host of the feast. He then told this story.
When you are invited to a wedding, don’t sit in the most important places, for a person considered more distinguished than you may have been invited and the host of the party will say: "Get up, Give this person your seat". You will then feel ashamed. Do the opposite: when you are invited to a party, take the lowest place for the person who invited you to tell you, "Friend, please come and sit closer to me." And you will be happy to do so. Jesus concluded saying: "For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted."
Comments: we shouldn’t look for the most important places. It’s not important to be the prettiest, the smartest, and the most important. The selfish, by dishonest means, look for places of prominence in society and in the material world. They will be removed from these places because it will gain in importance, in the spiritual world, those who value good, love and charity, without bothering to be the first or the most important one. Many who practice goodness do it in anonymity, not having a prominent place in the earthly world. They will have their efforts recognized when they arrive in the spiritual world. It’s important that we are humble, without expecting recognition for the good we do.
“Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him. Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt. “At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ The servant’s master took pity on him, cancelled the debt and let him go.
“But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded. “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’ “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened. “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I cancelled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.” (Matthew 18:23-35)
Jesus told once that the Kingdom of Heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. He then called one who owed him ten thousand bags of gold (a lot of money); but the servant couldn’t pay him. It was customary at that time to sell the debtor and his family to pay off the debts. The king ordered that he, his wife and his children and all that he had should be sold to repay the debt. The servant felt desperate, knelt before the king and said, "Be patient with me. I will pay you back all I owe you!" The king took pity on him and forgave all the debt, given the servant’s attitude.
The servant left the castle and found a man who owed him a hundred silver coins (little money). He grabbed him by the neck and shouted "Pay me what you owe me now!" The man said "Be patient with me. I will pay you back all I owe you!" (Note that this was the same sentence that the servant had told the king) But the servant refused to forgive the debt of the man, as the king had done to him. He had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt.
Some people told the king what had happened. The king then called the servant in and said, "You're a bad man! Haven’t I forgiven your debt? Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you? I'll now to do with you what you have done to him! "And the servant was jailed until he paid back all he owed.
Comments: Jesus means with this story that we must forgive our brothers, just as God forgives us. How many times shall we forgive? Seventy times seven times each offense, i.e., we must always forgive.
And how do you forgive someone? What actions show that we forgave someone?
Who says: "I forgave but I can’t forget what he did!" This person actually didn’t forgive, because forgiveness is to forget the offense.
Who says: "I forgave, but I don’t ever want to see him again!" This person didn’t forgive either, because forgiveness is not to save grief.
Who says: "I forgave him, but God will punish him for what he did!" Or: "I forgave him, but I want him to suffer as much as he made me suffer!" This person didn’t forgive really, because the one who forgives doesn’t wish evil on others.
Who says, "I forgive him, but I will tell him some words" This person didn’t forgive the offender, because he who forgives, forgets what happened and doesn’t talk about it anymore.
To forgive is to forget the offense; it’s to understand that we all make mistakes and don’t wish to harm others.