He told a parable to those who had been invited,noticing how they were choosing the places of honor at the table.
"When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet,
do not recline at table in the place of honor.
In the Gospel of Saint Luke Jesus often appears at dinner parties. There is this story of his attending a banquet, apparently in his honor, at the home of a wealthy Pharisee. You will recall his eating at the home of Martha and Mary, his feeding thousands in the wilderness, and his Last Supper.
There are also many parties and banquets in Jesus' parables also, especially the two impromptu parties for the lost coin and lost sheep, and the feast for the lost (Prodigal) Son. Recall too the wedding party with its five wise and five foolish maids.
Because people of all nations eat together, and often make an event of it, we should not be surprised they appear so often in the gospels. But they also carry special significance: they are harbingers of the Kingdom of God. In the joy, courtesy, physical and emotional satisfactions of shared meals we sense the nearness of that Bliss which God has promised.
Heaven, as we all know, is very hard to imagine. How will so many people fit into the place? Will it really last forever? Who will be accepted after the invitations have gone out? Will it be totally unfamiliar and even alien to our present experience? If it is, then how will I fit in?
We already know that a major change of venue -- from a war zone to a suburban neighborhood, for instance -- calls for a huge adjustment in one's mind and heart. We have seen that moving from one setting to another might require even a complete overhaul of one's psyche. Am I ready for heaven?
Imagining heaven as a banquet where friends and enemies are honored guests can help. Everyone is welcome. People of different colors, parties, religions and languages will mingle there.
I, for one, will need a better set of ears since I struggle to understand even the mildest foreign accent; and, despite my strenuous efforts to learn Spanish some years ago, never got past Como se va? (Is that French or Spanish?)
I've known people to complain about finding foreign speakers attending their favorite churches and restaurants. Why don't they go to their own places? they ask. I feel like my own neighborhood as become a foreign country!
Imagining heaven as a banquet reminds me that I'll have to make at least an attitudinal adjustment as I approach heaven.
And what better place to prepare than the Eucharist? That too is a Heavenly Banquet for those who have eyes to see.
Jesus, the Heavenly Host, invites all his loved ones to come together in friendship and peace, with deep respect and open hospitality.
In today's gospel, Jesus gives us a helpful pointer about attending banquets. Don't rush for the most privileged seat. Let yourself be seated where the Host assigns you. You might be surprised at the honor you are given, especially if you have trained yourself to expect somewhat less.
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I love to write. This blog helps me to meditate on the Word of God, and I hope to make some contribution to our contemplations of God's Mighty Works.
Ordinarily, I write these reflections two or three weeks in advance of their publication. I do not intend to comment on current events.
I understand many people prefer gender-neutral references to "God." I don't disagree with them but find that language impersonal, unappealing and tasteless. When I refer to "God" I think of the One whom Jesus called "Abba" and "Father", and I would not attempt to improve on Jesus' language.
You're welcome to add a thought or raise a question.