Romans 12:5-16ab
Psalm 131:1bcde, 2, 3
Luke 14:15-24
Do not be haughty but associate with the lowly, St. Paul tells us in today's First Reading.
That same word, "haughty," also shows up in today's responsorial psalm: "O Lord, my heart is not proud, nor are my eyes haughty." The dictionary defines the word "haughty" as: "having or showing great pride in oneself and disdain, contempt, or scorn for others:
proud; arrogant."
That's exactly the attitude of the banquet guests who begged off in Jesus' parable in today's gospel. They obviously felt their own activities and priorities were much more important than a big dinner party! Can't you just picture the modern day excuses? "Oh, I
can't go to Mass today . . . I just bought some property and have to go check on it." Or, "I can't be bothered. I'm taking a spin in my new car," Or, "I'm on my honeymoon, man!"
Get the picture?
So whom does the master invite to his banquet instead? Listen carefully now. He invites "the poor . . . the crippled . . . the blind . . . the lame." He even gathers up everyone out on
the street, to be sure his home will be filled. And as the kicker, the master says, "For, I tell you, none of those men who were invited will taste my dinner."
So - when the Master invites us to His banquet, don't be haughty! Don't think you have something more important on which to spend your time. Don't make excuses! If you do, you won't taste the heavenly manna of the Lord's banquet.
And who would want to be excluded from that?
Father Ed Bakker
Anglican Catholic Church / Original Province
Bendigo in the Central Goldfields
Australia
