Then Jesus said to his host, when you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your

relatives or your rich neighbors. If you do, they may invite you back and you will not be

repaid. And so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled,

the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed.

Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteousness.

When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus,

Blessed is the one who will eat at the feast

in the kingdom of heaven. Jesus replied, a certain man was preparing a great banquet, invited many guests.

At the time of the banquet, he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, come,

for everyone is now ready, or everything is now ready.

But they all alike began to make excuses.

The first said, I've just bought a field and I must go and see it.

Please excuse me.

Another said, I've just bought five yoke of oxen, and I'm on my way to try them out.

Please excuse me.

Still, another said, I just got married.

I can't come.

The servant came back and reported this to his master.

Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant,

go out quickly into the streets

and alleys and towns and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.

Sir, the servant said, what you ordered has been done, but there's still room.

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