Word to the Wise
Saturday, October 29, 2016 - Saturday in the 30th Week in Ordinary Time
[Phil 1:18b-26 and Luke 14:1, 7-11]On a sabbath Jesus went to dine at the home of one of the leading Pharisees, and the people there were observing him carefully....[Luke]
It is said in the writing trade that the first sentence of a book or a paragraph is the most important in an entire work. The first sentence of chapter 14 in the Gospel of Luke is a good example of that, although this may escape attention. The action takes place on a sabbath. It takes place at the home of a leading Pharisee. It takes place at a banquet (a principal symbol of the kingdom in the gospels.) Last but not least, the people there were paying close attention, which adds to the drama. The Lectionary cuts out two of the three actions: healing a man on the sabbath at the banquet in full view of the scribes and Pharisees and the admonition to the hosting Pharisee about inviting people who would have to repay him.
The healing was one dramatic way to begin the dinner. Jesus demonstrates that he is Lord of the sabbath. The parable is a shrewd story that the banqueters would understand. Jesus catches them in the act of jockeying for places closer to the head of the table since that would be an indication of their importance at the event. The best way to get a higher place is to take a lower place so that you may be publicly honored by an invitation to move up higher, which would mean that somebody "higher" would have to move lower! The admonition of the host speaks to the generosity that is a major theme in the Gospel of Luke. Social custom demanded that those invited return the favor to the host. Jesus urges the host to be generous and invite people who cannot repay him.
By the end of all this, the Pharisee may have wondered why he invited Jesus in the first place! But Luke gives us much of the whole gospel in one event! We are challenged not to exalt rules, money or social position - i.e. ourselves - if we really want to participate in the banquet of the kingdom. Compassion, humility and generosity will bring a lasting reward. AMEN
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