The Kingdom is where God’s humble people are…
Introduction
We hear today in the first reading two stanzas from a beautiful hymn to Christ. It may be of Syrian origin and was probably used in the liturgy. It sums up Christ and his work in a few concise terms: divine, yet in the humble condition of a servant, a human being; crucified but risen and glorified above all. He emptied himself, that is, gave up the glory that was rightfully his. And this Christ is the model for people, the image of what a person must become. Are we that image?
Today’s Gospel has partly the same theme as that of yesterday: that in the kingdom of God we have to open our homes and hearts to the poor, the neglected, the people without name or fame.
1 Reading Philippians 2:5-11
Brothers and sisters:
Have among yourselves the same attitude
that is also yours in Christ Jesus,
Who, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God
something to be grasped.
Rather, he emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
coming in human likeness;
and, found human in appearance,
he humbled himself,
becoming obedient to death,
even death on a cross.
Because of this, God greatly exalted him
and bestowed on him the name
that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bend,
of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that
Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
Responsorial Psalm 22:26b-27, 28-30ab, 30e, 31-32
R. (26a) I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.
I will fulfill my vows before those who fear him.
The lowly shall eat their fill;
they who seek the LORD shall praise him:
“May your hearts be ever merry!”
R. I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.
All the ends of the earth
shall remember and turn to the LORD;
All the families of the nations
shall bow down before him.
R. I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.
For dominion is the LORD’s,
and he rules the nations.
To him alone shall bow down
all who sleep in the earth.
R. I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.
To him my soul shall live;
my descendants shall serve him.
Let the coming generation be told of the LORD
that they may proclaim to a people yet to be born
the justice he has shown.
R. I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.
Alleluia Matthew 11:28
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,
and I will give you rest, says the Lord.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel Luke 14:15-24
One of those at table with Jesus said to him,
“Blessed is the one who will dine in the Kingdom of God.”
He replied to him,
“A man gave a great dinner to which he invited many.
When the time for the dinner came,
he dispatched his servant to say to those invited,
‘Come, everything is now ready.’
But one by one, they all began to excuse themselves.
The first said to him,
‘I have purchased a field and must go to examine it;
I ask you, consider me excused.’
And another said, ‘I have purchased five yoke of oxen
and am on my way to evaluate them;
I ask you, consider me excused.’
And another said, ‘I have just married a woman,
and therefore I cannot come.’
The servant went and reported this to his master.
Then the master of the house in a rage commanded his servant,
‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town
and bring in here the poor and the crippled, the blind and the lame.’
The servant reported, ‘Sir, your orders have been carried out
and still there is room.’
The master then ordered the servant,
‘Go out to the highways and hedgerows
and make people come in that my home may be filled.
For, I tell you, none of those men who were invited will taste my dinner.'”
Commentary
One can only imagine the messiness and utter chaos at the royal banquet Jesus describes! The poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame are not the original invitees. Hence, they are not at all prepared for the honour. And they can never prepare enough. So, are brought in just as they are—in their rags, with their begging bowls and their walking staffs. I imagine a placard written: Deaf, Dumb and Blind! They may not smell very good, nor are they familiar with the kind of behavior expected at such banquets. The blind may bump into the lame, and the crippled may stumble along the path. To add to it all, the master wants his banquet hall to be packed to its capacity; hence, more people are still being brought in! However, one thing is certain: Over and above all such disorder, there will be much joy and delight, and the hall must be bursting with ripples of laughter and singing! No protocols!
If we expect the Kingdom of God to be like the first-class lounge in an airplane, we may be mistaken. Kingdom is where God’s people are; and God invites everyone just as they are. Better practice being in the Kingdom by rubbing our shoulders here on earth with the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. Paul gives us some very practical suggestions for being one body with others. Let us listen to him.
Blessing
Let the same mind be in you that was in Jesus Christ. He emptied himself and humbled himself, accepting even death on the cross. Therefore, God exalted him. May God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!