August 28, 2022
A fellow said – ‘bad enough he was in the pub, but now I have to be beside him at Mass’.
Said jocosely, but the point is that everyone is invited to the banquet of Jesus like the gospel today. We never know who we might meet at Mass.
Jesus has strange ways of looking on whom to invite and who are the most important.
There were strict codes of place-names and seating at this type of party. Jesus was going to cut through these. He also had upset things earlier by healing a very sick man on the Sabbath. He started talking then about who to invite.
There was no pecking order at his invitation. The narrow door of last week has been pushed wide to let them all in.
The community of Christ doesn’t admit of differences that put us down. He was always saying this, and saying it to the proud and haughty. For others, life had taught them to be humble and they could probably enjoy this feast.
Humble people are grateful for small and big things; they pray often and know their need for prayer; they know they have faults and are no better or worse than most, and know they need God’s mercy; they love children because they are childlike at times, and they know they are not humble all the time. They don’t take themselves too seriously and are compassionate to the faults of others. They know who they are – in one way the least of all, but always loved, always forgiven, always a child of God.
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Lord,
teach me to know myself well,
so that I can better know your love.
