Tuesday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time
The Season of eating is upon us. Halloween candy still fills the sacks of children. If your neighbor-kids didn’t take the whole trick-or-treat bowl, there’s some extra for the house. Meal planning for a different type of Thanksgiving is beginning. It’s enough to remember with envy the times when we could invite a crowd of friends, or plan to attend an event with people from all over town, as we ready in today’s gospel. I also think of the good, easy meals that come after the feast- leftovers! Turkey sandwiches or ham soup or mashed potato pancakes or just that extra slice of pie. There have been years when I missed the main feast for one reason or another, but still enjoyed leftovers from my own extended family’s meal, or those of others.
Of course we see from the story that Jesus is throwing a great Eucharistic feast. It’s a feast that many are specially invited to eat, but few accept the invitation. The last line of this gospel is often missed, but it’s a hidden gem: “For, I tell you none of those who were invited will taste my dinner.” It makes me wonder if people have excused themselves from other dinners this master gave. Maybe he sent leftovers to them, just to avoid wasting food. Have you been surviving on ‘spiritual leftovers?’ Is there something God’s trying to give you, but your busy schedule of other plans is preventing your from accepting? Perhaps the Master was patient at first with the excuses. But now his compassion has worn out. Another fabulous feast is about to be sent out to the homes of the invitees, cold. Not this time. Give it to other people, he commands. Give it to anyone around who’s willing to come. This feast is no longer for his friends or colleagues or business associates. It’s for people who have done nothing to deserve it. They don’t have any special relationship with the master at all. In fact, they are outcasts. But they get into the Kingdom-Party first, because they know a good meal when they see one.
What’s stopping you from opening your schedule to God’s generous gift of true life? The Spirit wants to give us the perfect gift; we just need to make space for it. Lord, please give us the wisdom to see your loving kindness for what it is. It’s far better than whatever we planned to do with our time, energy, money, and space. Help us to say yes when it’s time to accept your invitation, before it’s too late. Amen.
-Chris Nieport