4-Nov-19

Gospel LK 14:12-14

On a sabbath Jesus went to dine
at the home of one of the leading Pharisees.
He said to the host who invited him,
"When you hold a lunch or a dinner,
do not invite your friends or your brothers or sisters
or your relatives or your wealthy neighbors,
in case they may invite you back and you have repayment.
Rather, when you hold a banquet,
invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind;
blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you.
For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."\

Reflection

On a sabbath Jesus went to dine
at the home of one of the leading Pharisees.
He said to the host who invited him,
"When you hold a lunch or a dinner,
do not invite your friends or your brothers or sisters
or your relatives or your wealthy neighbors.....”

Jesus was invited to dinner by a “leading Pharisee.” We do not know why the Pharisee extended the invitation, but the tone of today’s gospel implies that Jesus suspected the Pharisee had an ulterior motive for inviting him and the other guests to dinner.

Today’s gospel calls me to “check my motives.”

When I give, what am I looking for in return?

Am I thinking about how God or others see my generosity, or am I sincerely concerned about the needs of the person God has put in my path?

It is never necessary for us to attempt to ingratiate ourselves to God, for He sees and loves us as a parent loves their child.

“Rather, when you hold a banquet,
invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind;
blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you.”

Help us Lord to do what we know in our hearts to be the next right thing.

Whether we offer a helping hand to a homeless person or to a wealthy friend, may our only motive be to lift the spirits of our brother or sister in Christ without thought of repayment.

“For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."

Our reward is the joy of imagining the smile on the faces of Our Father and our brother, Jesus, as They gaze upon our acts of kindness.

“A parent’s greatest joy comes from witnessing goodness in the heart of their child.” Unknown