Lowest Spot

 

 

It was a bright Sunday morning when Sister Mary Claire, Mini, and I walked up the gravel road to St. Mary’s. The church bell was ringing, and the red water tower with its big white letters All for Jesus shone against the sky like it was pointing us the way. Mini trotted happily beside us, her little ears bouncing with each step, almost like she knew it was a special day.

Inside, Father LeRoy read from the Gospel of Luke. Jesus told how, when you are invited to a banquet, you should not rush to sit in the best place, but instead choose the lowest seat. Then, if the host calls you higher, you will be honored. Jesus also said not to invite only friends or rich neighbors to your table, but to welcome the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind—those who cannot repay you.

After Mass, I told Sister that I didn’t quite understand why Jesus wanted us to take the lowest place. She knelt down next to me and said softly, “Kathy, Jesus is teaching us about humility. When we put others before ourselves, we make room for God’s grace. And when we give to those who cannot repay us, we give as He gives—freely and with love.”

That made sense to me. I thought of how Mini always waits quietly when we sit down to eat, never trying to grab the best piece, and how happy she is just to be with us. Maybe that’s what Jesus wants too—for us to be humble and grateful, trusting Him to lift us up when the time is right.

On the way home, the air felt fresh and kind, and the water tower looked tall and steady in the distance, reminding me that everything should be All for Jesus, not for myself.

Evening Prayer

Dear Jesus,

Teach me to take the lower place with joy, and to be kind to those who cannot give anything back. Help me remember that You see what others do not, and that one day You will lift up the humble.

Amen.

Love,

Kathy