(Ecclesiasticus 3:19-21,30,31. Lk14:1,7-14)

The first reading of today's liturgy and Luke's Gospel account of conducting oneself properly at a wedding feast have a common theme: that of pride versus humility. In both readings, those who have gained a position in society are encouraged, even challenged, to remain humble and to include those who are less fortunate.

In Luke's Gospel account of the wedding feast, Jesus had noticed that the wedding guests were all jockeying for the best places. Jesus points out to them, quite gently in fact, that it is not their decision: the master of the house will decide on the priorities. However, he then turns on his host, one of the leading Pharisees, and gives him a serve over the unbalanced nature of the guest list. The pharisee had clearly invited those of his own social and financial status to the feast - but where were the poor, the crippled, the lame and the blind, those who were to be especially cared for, according to the Torah? They had been excluded from the Pharisee's house as surely as they had been historically banished from the Temple courts.

In his Gospel, Luke reveals to us the real focus of Jesus' ministry - the excluded and the abandoned of society. In challenging the Pharisee to get his guest list right, Jesus was addressing the 'evil growth' of vested interests that had slowly but surely choked off the life-giving provisions of the scriptures from those who needed them most. The reader will notice, though, that the Pharisee is not condemned in today's Gospel, only encouraged to make the change, for the sake of a better world.

In this week, we remember and celebrate the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King's "I have a Dream" speech at the Lincoln Memorial in 1963, arguably one of the world's most significant addresses on behalf of racial equality. Fifty years later, president Barack Obama, standing on the same spot as Doctor King, has reminded the world that much has been achieved, but much still remains to be done (click here to read speech). The struggle for racial and economic equality continues; the old concerns of 'who is in and who is out,' of 'who shall stand and who shall sit,' are still with us. The pressure of the movement of peoples worldwide, of refugees and migrants seeking a better life is causing governments and states to take draconian measures to stem the flows.

Yet, there can be no turning back to old racial and economic policies that favour some and exclude others. Nor can we remain complacent and do nothing; too many have prayed, too many have marched, too many have suffered and too many have died for the sake of the poor. We must go forward, as Jesus always went forward, as MLK went forward, even though it cost them dearly. Equality begins with your understanding and mine that everyone must be invited to the banquet. So, when you have a party, or a barbeque, or a great dinner, make sure your guest list is balanced.