Word to the Wise
Monday, November 6, 2006 - 31st Monday in Ordinary Time
[Philippians 2:1-4 and Luke 14:12-14]"When you hold a lunch or a diner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or sisters or your relatives or your wealthy neighbors, in case they may invigte you back and you have repayment. Rather when you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; blessed will you be because their inability to repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."
In Jesus' day, one had to be careful which invitations one accepted because it meant that one had to reciprocate. If the inviting party was very wealthy, a less wealthy person had to weigh the social advantage against the future expense of reciprocation! This social dynamic explains why Jesus tells a number of stories about banquets, especially about invitees who refuse to accept an invitation. To put it bluntly, some folks thought the cost of acceptance was too high! Of course, this isn't just a Middle-Eastern thing. I know socially active hostesses who are very careful about invitations! Jesus proposes something rather radical to his listeners. Invite people you know in advance cannot pay you back. The party has to be a gift! It doesn't take much to realize that this is basically what God invites us to. How many of us can "pay back" God and get on a "that makes us even" basis? Our fear of the obligation we assume by accepting God's invitation can be an obstacle to eternal life! Can we truly "afford" to miss this party? Can we afford to avoid giving one? AMEN
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