“Boasting in Christ Jesus may abound.” Philippians 1:26
“Go and take the lowest place.” Luke 14:10
Piety
Lord, this weekend you are having breakfast lunch and dinner with the women of the 123rd Cursillo. Please invite them to be your friends and move up to a higher position. Help the rest of us pray for their fruitful encounter with you. Remind us to always take the most humble position.
Lead our sisters in love and join us in procession to the house of God amid loud cries of joy and thanksgiving. De colores! Amen.
Study
Imagine what Jesus might say of he accepted an invitation to dinner at your house (provided he had the right papers to enter our country at the border).
The food would be prepared – vegetarian perhaps or fish. The house cleaned. Everyone anxiously would be awaiting His arrival.
Today, Jesus would probably arrive on foot or bicycle. As an itinerant preacher and teacher and carpenter, the only other imaginable possibility for transportation would be an old pick-up truck with tools handed down to him by his father…unless another guest picked him up to drive him over. It’s doubtful that our Lord would buy himself or us a Mercedes Benz or Porshe. Sorry Janice Joplin.
Jesus would walk up the driveway past your family cars and those of any other invited guests. Here in Fairfax County, that would probably amount to between four and six cars, all late models, many likely fancy imports, SUVs or minivans. Passing the cars, he would survey the lawn and landscaping before knocking on the door.
Sitting around before dinner, we would be quiet like the Pharisees “observing him carefully” in today’s reading waiting for Jesus to talk first. He would consider us and survey all around… the furniture, the piano, books on the shelves and pictures on the walls. As dinner approached, would you serve Jesus from the kitchen dishes or from the family China and crystal? Nothing but the best for our Savior?
What would he talk about? Giving up our place to another? Inviting the poor to use our empty rooms? Giving away our possessions to follow him? Challenging our traditions? The state of world affairs that we ignore? Haiti? Afghanistan? Iraq? Cuba? The Sudan, especially Darfur? The death penalty? Immigration? The election? The Church? Your own faith? All of the above?
Do you think the Pharisees were prepared for him to admonish them to “humble themselves?” He did not water down his message for the most learned people in his day. What makes you think he will go any easier on us when we encountered him face to face?
Action
When you go to Church this weekend, imagine Jesus greeting you at the door with these words, “My friend, please move up to a higher place.” Avoid your seat way in the back. Participate fully and use the song book to sing out loud your praises and prayers.
Go to bed early tonight so you can be rested for the drive into DC for Mañanita in the morning at St. Joseph’s Seminary.
No comments:
Post a Comment