In Luke’s Gospel Jesus tells the parable about the guests at a banquet who fail to show humility, taking all the best seats, and who are humiliated by the host in favor of a more esteemed guest who comes later.
I had an experience of this parable recently while in Iowa visiting family. I went to the Greek Orthodox Church because I heard the Bishop of Chicago was in town, and he and I worked together many years ago when we were involved in an AIDS Service Organization in that city.
We were reacquainted, and I was asked to join him after the Liturgy for a parish lunch where he was the honored guest – the head table no less!
I’ve read the parable, I know the drill, so I coyly sat at the very last seat of the table with five empty seats between me and the Bishop (false humility to be sure!). While I wasn’t assured of a seat right next to the Bishop, I also wasn’t that thrilled with sitting by myself at the end of the table either. Sure enough, the call came – Bishop Dimitri called to the end of the table “Come sit next to me!” And so I did. So what’s the big deal?
Jesus lives out in action and speaks in parables about banquets and wedding dinners, and a variety of other social occasions. And ALL OF THEM tell us something important about the Kingdom of God or Kingdom of Heaven. Just what is God doing in the world and how does it involve us? How do we act at the great banquet of God’s generosity and how does if change us and what we do?
One thing we done is to push back the realization and fulfillment of this Kingdom and its Godly or Heavenly ramifications. To those in the world who are hungry, poor, naked, imprisoned, sick, dying, or who are strangers in our land, we dangle this image of a future time when all their emptiness will be filled, hopes realized, and diseases healed. That the Kingdom of Heaven or of God is a future prize for those who endure present trials – the spiritual finish line – a paradise found. And we’re all off the hook for the present troubles, free to engage in our false humilities, false abundance, and false security.
We fail to consider Jesus and his actions and parables in the present tense. We neglect the connection between discipleship and God’s need for loving action in a hurting world. We nibble at the edges of this great banquet afraid spend too much faith capital, or actual capital to address the needs around us.
I’m not talking about becoming righteous by our own effort or action, but God has called us to action through the actions and parables of Jesus. By feeding the hungry, lifting the poor out of poverty, clothing the naked, visiting those in prison, healing the sick, comforting the dying and welcoming the stranger in our land we are illuminating the Kingdom of God and the inherent promise to a world plunged in darkness. Our Baptism and our discipleship demand our attention to God’s invitation – an invitation to the entire world – Welcome, God has created a place at the Table for ALL!
I had an experience of this parable recently while in Iowa visiting family. I went to the Greek Orthodox Church because I heard the Bishop of Chicago was in town, and he and I worked together many years ago when we were involved in an AIDS Service Organization in that city.
We were reacquainted, and I was asked to join him after the Liturgy for a parish lunch where he was the honored guest – the head table no less!
I’ve read the parable, I know the drill, so I coyly sat at the very last seat of the table with five empty seats between me and the Bishop (false humility to be sure!). While I wasn’t assured of a seat right next to the Bishop, I also wasn’t that thrilled with sitting by myself at the end of the table either. Sure enough, the call came – Bishop Dimitri called to the end of the table “Come sit next to me!” And so I did. So what’s the big deal?
Jesus lives out in action and speaks in parables about banquets and wedding dinners, and a variety of other social occasions. And ALL OF THEM tell us something important about the Kingdom of God or Kingdom of Heaven. Just what is God doing in the world and how does it involve us? How do we act at the great banquet of God’s generosity and how does if change us and what we do?
One thing we done is to push back the realization and fulfillment of this Kingdom and its Godly or Heavenly ramifications. To those in the world who are hungry, poor, naked, imprisoned, sick, dying, or who are strangers in our land, we dangle this image of a future time when all their emptiness will be filled, hopes realized, and diseases healed. That the Kingdom of Heaven or of God is a future prize for those who endure present trials – the spiritual finish line – a paradise found. And we’re all off the hook for the present troubles, free to engage in our false humilities, false abundance, and false security.
We fail to consider Jesus and his actions and parables in the present tense. We neglect the connection between discipleship and God’s need for loving action in a hurting world. We nibble at the edges of this great banquet afraid spend too much faith capital, or actual capital to address the needs around us.
I’m not talking about becoming righteous by our own effort or action, but God has called us to action through the actions and parables of Jesus. By feeding the hungry, lifting the poor out of poverty, clothing the naked, visiting those in prison, healing the sick, comforting the dying and welcoming the stranger in our land we are illuminating the Kingdom of God and the inherent promise to a world plunged in darkness. Our Baptism and our discipleship demand our attention to God’s invitation – an invitation to the entire world – Welcome, God has created a place at the Table for ALL!
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