You are invited, come!

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Luke (Lk 14: 15-24).

One of those at table with Jesus said to him: ‘Blessed is anyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!’ Then Jesus said to him, ‘Someone gave a great dinner and invited many. At the time for the dinner he sent his slave to say to those who had been invited, “Come; for everything is ready now.” But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, “I have bought a piece of land, and I must go out and see it; please accept my apologies.” Another said, “I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to try them out; please accept my apologies.” Another said, “I have just been married, and therefore I cannot come.” So the slave returned and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and said to his slave, “Go out at once into the streets and lanes of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.” And the slave said, “Sir, what you ordered has been done, and there is still room.” Then the master said to the slave, “Go out into the roads and lanes, and compel people to come in, so that my house may be filled. For I tell you, none of those who were invited will taste my dinner.”’ This is the word of the Lord.

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Jesus went for a meal invited by a leader of the Pharisees. It was a Sabbath. He accepted the invitation and honoured it even though he knew that all that were invited would be watching him closely not out of admiration, it seems, but to see what he would do that was not allowed on a Sabbath. It doesn’t seem that there was a friendly atmosphere there. Jesus used to teach and heal people on a Sabbath and this meal offered him the opportunity to do so, and he tried to put some sense into the minds and hearts of those present.

One of those who were listening to Jesus said to him: “Blessed is anyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!” This reminds me of the words Jesus pronounced when he said: “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live for ever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh” (Jn 6: 51).

Who was this man who said the blessing above? Nobody tells us. Perhaps he symbolizes those who wish to enter the Kingdom of God. Some of them would find it difficult to imagine that they could do it, while others might have been quite confident that they will be there.

Christ’s parable would be a word of encouragement for those who are afraid and perhaps, aware of their limitations, get discouraged. It is also a warning to those who are too confident of their salvation. Jesus was bringing good news to all in the house. He was telling them how to live in order to sit at table in the Kingdom, and telling others not to be discouraged.

The words spoken by this guest seem to be echoed in the invitation we receive during the Mass just before communion. The priest says: “Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb”. Our response is: “Lord, I am not worthy … but only say the word and my soul shall be healed”.

I find that this is what Jesus wants to teach us all when he told the parable of the Great Dinner.

The guest said that blessed is anyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God. Can I put some emphasis on the word ‘anyone’? It seems that the Pharisees thought that not everyone is invited, while Jesus and us know that everyone is invited to participate in the great dinner God prepared for us. The main thing here is not “who is invited” but “how each person responds to the invitation”.

In his parable Jesus first presents those who were confident of “eating bread in the Kingdom of God” and perhaps thought that they could ignore the invitation for they would not need one. They believed that because of their good deeds they had a right to participate. These were those invited first, those who were convinced of their superiority. When reminded that dinner was already prepared they answered with vain excuses. Jesus said that these would never “taste my dinner” for “you refuse to come to me to have life” (Jn 5: 40). This he told the Jews who were seeking to kill him because he was breaking the Sabbath. This is a warning to them and to us.

Then Jesus presented all the others who in the parable were invited and who, though unprepared, accepted the invitation. I imagine them saying: “Sir, I am not prepared, and I am not worthy”. Christ would surely answer: “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest” (Mt 11: 28). Indeed “anyone who comes to me I will never drive away” (Jn 6: 37) Jesus said.

This is Christ’s mission to encourage the feeble, who are discouraged or afraid, and to alert those who think they are superior and have a right to the banquet and imagine that they are already saved.

Let us remember that we enter the Kingdom by invitation, and it is good to remember that Jesus said: “I have come to call not the righteous but sinners to repentance.” (Lk 5:32)

We might ask: “How can I obtain an invitation?” God has already invited everybody, every single person. Were we not created in his image and likeness? Are we not his sons and daughters, his beloved children? We already received the invitation!

Sometimes we receive an invitation by post, or e-mail or a message. Do we care to open the post? Do we hit the “like” button? Do we hit the “accept” button? This is the trick for us to know that we are invited, to what we are invited and for when.

This reminds me that it stands to us to make good use of the invitation. We should never forget that we are invited.

But what are we to do in the meantime?

I find Paul’s words to the Romans in today’s first reading inspiring. He writes: “Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us exercise them” (Rm 12: 6). It is good to remember Christ’s words: “Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit” (Jn 12: 24). Let us also remember what he said about judgement day. “Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry, … I was thirsty, … I was a stranger and you welcomed me. I was naked, … I was sick … I was in prison and you visited me.” Then the righteous will answer him: “Lord, when was it?” (Mt 25: 34-37).

This comes to confirm that all those who receive gifts and put them to good use, not in their own benefit but also for the good of others according to the commandment “You shall love your neighbour as yourself” (Mt 22:39) will be received in the kingdom.

Let us “like” God’s invitation. Let us “accept” it. Let us prepare ourselves for the great day by exercising our gifts for God’s glory and the good of mankind.