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."

Fluent

I would love to live

Like a river flows,

Carried by the surprise

Of its own unfolding.

~ John O'Donohue

Jeremiah 2:4-13 with Psalm 81:1, 10-16 or
Sirach 10:12-18 with Psalm 112
Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16
Luke 14:1, 7-14

Jeremiah 2:4-13

Hear the word of the Lord, O house of Jacob,
   and all the families of the house of Israel.
Thus says the Lord:
What wrong did your ancestors find in me
   that they went far from me,
     and went after worthless things,
     and became worthless themselves?
They did not say, "Where is the Lord
   who brought us up from the land of Egypt,
   who led us in the wilderness,
     in a land of deserts and pits,
     in a land of drought and deep darkness,
     in a land that no one passes through,
       where no one lives?"
I brought you into a plentiful land
   to eat its fruits and its good things.
But when you entered you defiled my land,
   and made my heritage an abomination.
The priests did not say, "Where is the Lord?"
Those who handle the law did not know me;
   the rulers transgressed against me;
   the prophets prophesied by Baal,
     and went after things that do not profit.

Therefore once more I accuse you, says the Lord,
   and I accuse your children's children.
Cross to the coasts of Cyprus and look,
   send to Kedar and examine with care;
   see if there has ever been such a thing.
Has a nation changed its gods,
   even though they are no gods?
But my people have changed their glory
   for something that does not profit.
Be appalled, O heavens, at this,
   be shocked, be utterly desolate, says the Lord,
for my people have committed two evils:
   they have forsaken me,
     the fountain of living water,
   and dug out cisterns for themselves,
      cracked cisterns
that can hold no water.

and

Psalm 81:1, 10-16

Sing aloud to God 
   our strength;
shout for joy 
   to the God of Jacob.

"I am the Sovereign 
   your God,
who brought you up
   out of the land of Egypt.
"Open your mouth wide
   and I will fill it.

"But my people did not listen 
   to my voice;
Israel would not submit 
   to me.

"So I gave them over 
   to their stubborn hearts,
   to follow their own counsels.

"O that my people would listen 
   to me,
that Israel would walk 
   in my ways!

"Then I would quickly subdue 
   their enemies,
and turn my hand 
   against their foes.

"Those who hate God would cringe 
   before God,
and their doom would last 
   forever.

"I would feed you 
   with the finest of the wheat,
and with honey from the rock 
   I would satisfy you."

or

Sirach 10:12-18

The beginning of human pride is to forsake the Lord;
   the heart has withdrawn from its Maker.
For the beginning of pride is sin,
   and the one who clings to it pours out abominations.
Therefore the Lord brings upon them unheard-of calamities,
   and destroys them completely.
The Lord overthrows the thrones of rulers,
   and enthrones the lowly in their place.
The Lord plucks up the roots of the nations,
   and plants the humble in their place.
The Lord lays waste the lands of the nations,
   and destroys them to the foundations of the earth.
He removes some of them and destroys them,
   and erases the memory of them from the earth.
Pride was not created for human beings,
   or violent anger for those born of women.

and

Psalm 112

Praise be to God!
Happy are those 
   who fear God, 
who greatly delight 
   in God's commandments.

Their descendants will be mighty 
   in the land;
the generation of the upright 
   will be blessed.

Wealth and riches 
   are in their houses,
and their righteousness endures 
   forever.

They rise in the darkness 
   as a light for the upright;
they are gracious, merciful, 
   and righteous.

It is well with those 
   who deal generously and lend,
who conduct their affairs 
   with justice.

For the righteous 
   will never be moved;
they will be remembered 
   forever.

They are not afraid 
   of evil tidings;
their hearts are firm, 
   secure in God.

Their hearts are steady, 
   they will not be afraid;
in the end they will look 
   in triumph on their foes.

They have distributed 
   freely,
they have given 
   to the poor;
their righteousness endures 
   forever;
their horn is exalted 
   in honor.

The wicked see it 
   and are angry;
they gnash their teeth 
   and melt away;
the desire of the wicked 
   comes to nothing.

Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16

Let mutual love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it. Remember those who are in prison, as though you were in prison with them; those who are being tortured, as though you yourselves were being tortured. Let marriage be held in honor by all, and let the marriage bed be kept undefiled; for God will judge fornicators and adulterers. Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be content with what you have; for he has said, "I will never leave you or forsake you." So we can say with confidence,

"The Lord is my helper;
   I will not be afraid.
What can anyone do to me?"

Remember your leaders, those who spoke the word of God to you; consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and for ever. Through him, then, let us continually offer a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name. Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.

Luke 14:1, 7-14

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."