Tuesday of the Thirty-first Week in
Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 486
Lectionary: 486
Brothers and sisters:
We, though many, are one Body in Christ
and individually parts of one another.
Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us,
let us exercise them:
if prophecy, in proportion to the faith;
if ministry, in ministering;
if one is a teacher, in teaching;
if one exhorts, in exhortation;
if one contributes, in generosity;
if one is over others, with diligence;
if one does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.
Let love be sincere;
hate what is evil,
hold on to what is good;
love one another with mutual affection;
anticipate one another in showing honor.
Do not grow slack in zeal,
be fervent in spirit,
serve the Lord.
Rejoice in hope,
endure in affliction,
persevere in prayer.
Contribute to the needs of the holy ones,
exercise hospitality.
Bless those who persecute you,
bless and do not curse them.
Rejoice with those who rejoice,
weep with those who weep.
Have the same regard for one another;
do not be haughty but associate with the lowly.
We, though many, are one Body in Christ
and individually parts of one another.
Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us,
let us exercise them:
if prophecy, in proportion to the faith;
if ministry, in ministering;
if one is a teacher, in teaching;
if one exhorts, in exhortation;
if one contributes, in generosity;
if one is over others, with diligence;
if one does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.
Let love be sincere;
hate what is evil,
hold on to what is good;
love one another with mutual affection;
anticipate one another in showing honor.
Do not grow slack in zeal,
be fervent in spirit,
serve the Lord.
Rejoice in hope,
endure in affliction,
persevere in prayer.
Contribute to the needs of the holy ones,
exercise hospitality.
Bless those who persecute you,
bless and do not curse them.
Rejoice with those who rejoice,
weep with those who weep.
Have the same regard for one another;
do not be haughty but associate with the lowly.
Responsorial
PsalmPS 131:1BCDE, 2, 3
R. In you,
O Lord, I have found my peace.
O LORD, my heart is not proud,
nor are my eyes haughty;
I busy not myself with great things,
nor with things too sublime for me.
R. In you, O Lord, I have found my peace.
Nay rather, I have stilled and quieted
my soul like a weaned child.
Like a weaned child on its mother's lap,
so is my soul within me.
R. In you, O Lord, I have found my peace.
O Israel, hope in the LORD,
both now and forever.
R. In you, O Lord, I have found my peace.
O LORD, my heart is not proud,
nor are my eyes haughty;
I busy not myself with great things,
nor with things too sublime for me.
R. In you, O Lord, I have found my peace.
Nay rather, I have stilled and quieted
my soul like a weaned child.
Like a weaned child on its mother's lap,
so is my soul within me.
R. In you, O Lord, I have found my peace.
O Israel, hope in the LORD,
both now and forever.
R. In you, O Lord, I have found my peace.
AlleluiaMT 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.
Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,
and I will give you rest, says the Lord.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelLK 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.'"
"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.'"
Meditation:
"Invitation to the King's banquet table"
: What does it mean
to "eat bread in the kingdom of heaven"? In the ancient world the
most notable sign of favor and intimate friendship was the invitation to
"share bread" at the dinner table. Who you ate with showed who you
valued and trusted as your friends. A great banquet would involve a lavish meal
of several courses and a large company of notable guests and friends. One of
the most beautiful images of heaven in the scriptures is the royal wedding
celebration and banquet given by the King for his son and friends. We, in
fact, have been invited to the most important banquet of all! The last book in
the Bible ends with an invitation to the wedding feast of the Lamb and his
Bride, the church: The Spirit and the Bride say, Come! (Revelations
22:17). The 'Lamb of God' is the Lord Jesus Christ and his bride is the people
he has redeemed by his own precious blood which was shed upon the cross for our
salvation.
Making
light of the Lord's gracious invitation to feast at his table
Jesus' "banquet parable" must have startled his audience. If a great lord or king invited his friends to a banquet, why would the guests turn down his invitation? A great banquet would take many days to prepare. And personal invitations would be sent out well in advance to the guests, so they would have plenty of time to prepare for the upcoming feast. How insulting for the invited guests to then refuse when the time for celebrating came! They made light of the King's request because they had put their own interests above his.
Jesus' "banquet parable" must have startled his audience. If a great lord or king invited his friends to a banquet, why would the guests turn down his invitation? A great banquet would take many days to prepare. And personal invitations would be sent out well in advance to the guests, so they would have plenty of time to prepare for the upcoming feast. How insulting for the invited guests to then refuse when the time for celebrating came! They made light of the King's request because they had put their own interests above his.
Excuses
that hold us back from pursuing the things of God
Jesus probes the reasons why people make excuses to God's great invitation to "eat bread" with him at his banquet table. The first excuse allows the claims of one's personal business or work to take precedence over God's claim. Do you allow any task or endeavor to absorb you so much that it keeps you from the thought of God? The second excuse allows our possessions to come before God. Do you allow the media and other diversions to crowd out time for God in daily prayer and worship? The third excuse puts home and family ahead of God. God never meant for our home and relationships to be used selfishly. We serve God best when we invite him into our work, our homes, and our personal lives and when we share our possessions with others.
Jesus probes the reasons why people make excuses to God's great invitation to "eat bread" with him at his banquet table. The first excuse allows the claims of one's personal business or work to take precedence over God's claim. Do you allow any task or endeavor to absorb you so much that it keeps you from the thought of God? The second excuse allows our possessions to come before God. Do you allow the media and other diversions to crowd out time for God in daily prayer and worship? The third excuse puts home and family ahead of God. God never meant for our home and relationships to be used selfishly. We serve God best when we invite him into our work, our homes, and our personal lives and when we share our possessions with others.
An
invitation of undeserved grace and favor
The second part of the story focuses on those who had no claim on the king and who would never have considered getting such an invitation. The "poor, maimed, blind, and lame" represent the outcasts of society - those who can make no claim on the King. There is ample room at the feast of God even for outsiders from the highways and hedges - the Gentiles who were not members of the chosen people, the Jews. This is certainly an invitation of grace - undeserved, unmerited favor and kindness. But this invitation also contains a warning for those who refuse it or who approach the wedding feast unworthily. Grace is a free gift, but it is also an awesome responsibility.
The second part of the story focuses on those who had no claim on the king and who would never have considered getting such an invitation. The "poor, maimed, blind, and lame" represent the outcasts of society - those who can make no claim on the King. There is ample room at the feast of God even for outsiders from the highways and hedges - the Gentiles who were not members of the chosen people, the Jews. This is certainly an invitation of grace - undeserved, unmerited favor and kindness. But this invitation also contains a warning for those who refuse it or who approach the wedding feast unworthily. Grace is a free gift, but it is also an awesome responsibility.
God's
grace is free and costly
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German pastor who died for his faith under the Nazi persecution of Jews and Christians, contrasted cheap grace and costly grace: "Cheap grace is the grace we bestow on ourselves... the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance... grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate... Costly grace is the Gospel which must be sought again and again, the gift which must be asked for, the door at which a man must knock. Such grace is costly because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ. It is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life."
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German pastor who died for his faith under the Nazi persecution of Jews and Christians, contrasted cheap grace and costly grace: "Cheap grace is the grace we bestow on ourselves... the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance... grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate... Costly grace is the Gospel which must be sought again and again, the gift which must be asked for, the door at which a man must knock. Such grace is costly because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ. It is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life."
God
lavishes his grace upon each one of us to draw us closer to himself and he
invites each of us to his banquet that we may share more deeply in his joy. Are
you ready to feast at the Lord's banquet table?
"Lord
Jesus, you withhold no good thing from us and you lavish us with the treasures
of heaven. Help me to seek your kingdom first and to lay aside anything that
might hinder me from doing your will."
Daily
Quote from the early church fathers: The heavenly food of Jesus' word,
by Clement of Alexandria (150-215 AD)
"The
holy agape is the sublime and saving creation of the Lord... An
agape is in reality heavenly food, a banquet of the Word. The agape, or love,
'bears all things, endures all things, hopes all things. Love never fails (1
Corinthians 13:8). 'Blessed is he who eats bread in the kingdom of God' (Luke
14:15). The most unlikely of all downfalls is charity that does not fail to be
thrown down from heaven to earth among all these dainty seasonings. Do you
still imagine that I refer to a meal that will be destroyed? (1 Corinthians
6:13) 'If I distribute my goods to the poor and do not have love,' Scripture
says, 'I am nothing' (1 Corinthians 13:3). The whole law and the word depend on
this love (Matthew 22:40). If you love the Lord your God and your neighbor
(Mark 12:30-31), there will be a heavenly feast in heaven. The earthly feast,
as we have proved from Scripture, is called a supper. It is permeated with love
yet is not identified with it but is an expression of mutual and generous good
will." (excerpt from CHRIST THE EDUCATOR 2,1)
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, LUKE 14:15-24
Weekday
(Romans 12:5-16b; Psalm 131)
Weekday
(Romans 12:5-16b; Psalm 131)
KEY VERSE: "Go out to the highways and hedgerows and make people come in that my home may be filled" (v. 23).
TO KNOW: Jesus was invited to share the Sabbath meal at the home of a leading Pharisee. He expanded his teaching on humility at the dinner table (14:7-14) into a parable about a banquet as an image of God's reign. In the story, many of the invited guests refused to come to the banquet, so the host ordered his servants to bring in "the poor and the crippled, the blind and the lame" (those who were excluded from temple worship, Lv. 21:18). These unfortunate ones responded eagerly, but there was still room at the table. Then the host sent his servants to the farthest reaches of the land to fill his banquet hall with guests. This parable corresponded to Jesus' ministry. Those he invited first ignored his call, so Jesus turned his attention to others, the Gentiles, who would accept his invitation.
TO LOVE: What prevents me from gathering with God's community?
TO SERVE: Lord Jesus, help me to respond daily to your call.
ELECTION DAY (USA) -- VOTE!
Election Day in the United States is the day set by law for the general elections of public officials. These include national, state and local government representatives at all levels up to the president. The presidential elections occur every four years, with registered voters casting their ballots on Election Day, which since 1845 has been the Tuesday after the first Monday in November. Election Day is held on a Tuesday so that voters will not have to vote or travel on Sunday. This was an important consideration at the time when the laws were written and is still so in some Christian communities in the United States.
Tuesday 5 November 2019
Romans 12:5-16. Psalm 130(131). Luke 14:15-24
In you, O Lord, I have found my peace – Psalm 130(131).
‘Not one of those who were invited shall have a taste of my
banquet’
When I read the parable of the Great Feast, I have to ask
myself, am I one of the invited guests who refused the invitation to the feast
or am I the poor, the lame, the crippled and the blind who would be over the
moon to receive such an invitation? Or am I the host? Every scenario to me,
offers an invitation of discomfort and that of self-reflection. If I am the
host, there’s the initial sense of rejection and embarrassment of no-one
accepting my generous invitation, but how comfortable will I be with these
strangers who I may not relate to? If I am the person from the streets and
alleys, am I worthy to accept this offer, or do I just feel second best? And if
I am the invitee who declined the invitation and then realised everyone else
had also, there is a shame to be felt about that. All of my initial responses
are about me and my immediate feelings. But if we put our feelings aside and
put the others first, ‘how happy are those who will sit down at the feast in
the Kingdom of God!’
Saint Peter Chrysologus
Saint of the Day for November 5
(c. 406 – c. 450)
 |
| Saint Peter Chrysologus | it.wikipedia.org |
Saint Peter Chrysologus’ Story
A man who vigorously pursues a goal may produce results far
beyond his expectations and his intentions. Thus it was with Peter ” of the
Golden Words,” as he was called, who as a young man became bishop of Ravenna,
the capital of the empire in the West.
At the time there were abuses and vestiges of paganism evident
in his diocese, and these Peter was determined to battle and overcome. His
principal weapon was the short sermon, and many of them have come down to us.
They do not contain great originality of thought. They are, however, full of
moral applications, sound in doctrine, and historically significant in that they
reveal Christian life in fifth-century Ravenna. So authentic were the contents
of his sermons that some 13 centuries later, he was declared a doctor of the
Church by Pope Benedict XIII. He who had earnestly sought to teach and motivate
his own flock was recognized as a teacher of the universal Church.
In addition to his zeal in the exercise of his office, Peter
Chrysologus was distinguished by a fierce loyalty to the Church, not only in
its teaching, but in its authority as well. He looked upon learning not as a
mere opportunity but as an obligation for all, both as a development of
God-given faculties and as a solid support for the worship of God.
Some time before his death around A.D. 450, Saint Peter
Chrysologus returned to his birthplace of Imola, in northern Italy.
Reflection
Quite likely, it was Saint Peter Chrysologus’ attitude
toward learning that gave substance to his exhortations. Next to virtue,
learning, in his view, was the greatest improvement to the human mind and
the support of true religion. Ignorance is not a virtue, nor is
anti-intellectualism. Knowledge is neither more nor less a source of pride than
physical, administrative, or financial prowess. To be fully human is to expand
our knowledge—whether sacred or secular—according to our talent and
opportunity.
Lectio Divina: Luke 14:15-24
Lectio Divina
Tuesday, November 5, 2019
Ordinary Time
1) Opening prayer
God of power and mercy,
only with Your help
can we offer You fitting service and praise.
May we live the faith we profess
and trust Your promise of eternal life.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
only with Your help
can we offer You fitting service and praise.
May we live the faith we profess
and trust Your promise of eternal life.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
2) Gospel reading - Luke 14:15-24
One of those gathered round the table said to Jesus,
"Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God." But He
said to him, "There was a man who gave a great banquet, and he invited a
large number of people. When the time for the banquet came, he sent his servant
to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come along: everything is ready now.’
But all alike started to make excuses.
The first said, ‘I have bought a piece of land and must go and see it. Please accept my apologies.’
Another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen and am on my way to try them out. Please accept my apologies.’
Yet another said, ‘I have just got married and so am unable to come.’
The servant returned and reported this to his master. Then the householder, in a rage, said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in here the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.’
’Sir,’ said the servant, ’your orders have been carried out and there is still room.’
Then the master said to his servant, ‘Go to the open roads and the lanes and press people to come in, to make sure my house is full; because, I tell you, not one of those who were invited shall have a taste of my banquet.’”
The first said, ‘I have bought a piece of land and must go and see it. Please accept my apologies.’
Another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen and am on my way to try them out. Please accept my apologies.’
Yet another said, ‘I have just got married and so am unable to come.’
The servant returned and reported this to his master. Then the householder, in a rage, said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in here the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.’
’Sir,’ said the servant, ’your orders have been carried out and there is still room.’
Then the master said to his servant, ‘Go to the open roads and the lanes and press people to come in, to make sure my house is full; because, I tell you, not one of those who were invited shall have a taste of my banquet.’”
3) Reflection
• The Gospel today continues the reflection on themes linked to
the table and the invitation. Jesus tells the parable of the banquet. Many
people had been invited, but the majority did not go. The master of the feast
was indignant because of the absence of those who had been invited and then
sent his servants to call the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame. Even
after that, there was still room. Then he ordered his servant to invite
everybody until his house was full. This parable was a light for the
communities of Luke’s time.
• In the communities at the time of Luke there were Christians who had come from Judaism and Christians who came from the Gentiles, called pagans. Notwithstanding the difference in race, class and gender, they profoundly lived the ideal of sharing and of communion (Acts 2:42; 4:32; 5:12). But there were many difficulties because some norms of legal purity prevented the Jews from eating with the pagans. Even after they had entered into the Christian community, some of them kept this old custom of not sitting at table with a pagan. This is the reason Peter had a conflict with the community in Jerusalem, because he entered into the house of Cornelius, a pagan, and ate with him (Acts 11:3). Because of these problems in the communities, Luke kept a series of teachings of Jesus regarding the banquet. (Lk 14:1-24). The parable on which we are meditating is an image of what was happening in the communities.
• Luke 14:15: Blessed are those who will eat the bread of the Kingdom of God. Jesus had finished telling two parables: one on the choice of places (Lk 14:7-11), and the other on the choice of guests who were invited (Lk 14:12-14). While listening to this parable someone who was at table with Jesus must have picked up the importance of the teaching of Jesus and said, “Blessed are those who eat the bread of the Kingdom of God!” The Jews compared the future time of the Messiah to a banquet, characterized by gratitude and communion (Isa 25:6; 55:1-2; Ps 22:27). Hunger, poverty and the lack of so many things made the people hope that in the future they would obtain what they were lacking and did not have at present. The hope of the Messianic goods, usually experienced in banquets, was a glimpse of the end of time.
• Luke 14:16-20: The great banquet is ready. Jesus responds with a parable. There was a man who gave a great banquet and he invited a great number of people”. But the duty of each one prevents the guest from accepting the invitation. The first one says, “I have bought a piece of land and must go and see it!” The second, “I have bought five yoke of oxen and am on my way to try them out!” The third one, “I have just got married and so am unable to come!” Under the limits of the law those people had the right not to accept the invitation (cf. Deut 20:5-7).
• Luke 14:21-22: The invitation remains, it is not cancelled. The master of the banquet was indignant in seeing that his invitation had not been accepted. In the last instance, the one who is indignant is precisely Jesus because the norms of the strict observance of the law reduced the space for people to be able to live the gratuity of an invitation to the house of friends, an invitation characterized by fraternal spirit and by sharing. Thus the master of the feast orders the servants to invite the poor, the blind, the crippled, and the lame. Those who were normally excluded because they were considered unclean are now invited to sit around the banquet table.
• Luke 14:23-24: There is still room. The banquet room is not full. Then the master of the house ordered the servants to invite those passing on the street. Those are the pagans. They are also invited to sit around the table. Thus, in the banquet of the parable of Jesus, everybody sits around the same table, Jews and pagans. At the time of Luke, there were many problems which prevented the realization of this ideal of the common banquet. By means of the parable Luke shows that the practice of the banquet came precisely from Jesus.
After the destruction of Jerusalem, in the year 70, the Pharisees took over the government in the synagogues demanding the rigid fulfillment of the norms which identified them as the Jewish people. The Jews who converted to Christianity were considered a threat because they destroyed the walls which separated Israel from other people. The Pharisees tried to force them to abandon their faith in Jesus. Because they did not succeed, they drove them away from the synagogues. All this brought about a slow and progressive separation between the Jews and the Christians which was a source of great suffering especially for the converted Jews (Rom 9:1-5). In the parable, Luke indicates very clearly that these converted Jews were not unfaithful to their people. On the contrary, they are the ones who are invited and accept the invitation. They are the true continuation of Israel. Those who were unfaithful were those who did not accept the invitation and did not want to recognize Jesus the Messiah (Lk 22:66; Acts 13: 27).
• In the communities at the time of Luke there were Christians who had come from Judaism and Christians who came from the Gentiles, called pagans. Notwithstanding the difference in race, class and gender, they profoundly lived the ideal of sharing and of communion (Acts 2:42; 4:32; 5:12). But there were many difficulties because some norms of legal purity prevented the Jews from eating with the pagans. Even after they had entered into the Christian community, some of them kept this old custom of not sitting at table with a pagan. This is the reason Peter had a conflict with the community in Jerusalem, because he entered into the house of Cornelius, a pagan, and ate with him (Acts 11:3). Because of these problems in the communities, Luke kept a series of teachings of Jesus regarding the banquet. (Lk 14:1-24). The parable on which we are meditating is an image of what was happening in the communities.
• Luke 14:15: Blessed are those who will eat the bread of the Kingdom of God. Jesus had finished telling two parables: one on the choice of places (Lk 14:7-11), and the other on the choice of guests who were invited (Lk 14:12-14). While listening to this parable someone who was at table with Jesus must have picked up the importance of the teaching of Jesus and said, “Blessed are those who eat the bread of the Kingdom of God!” The Jews compared the future time of the Messiah to a banquet, characterized by gratitude and communion (Isa 25:6; 55:1-2; Ps 22:27). Hunger, poverty and the lack of so many things made the people hope that in the future they would obtain what they were lacking and did not have at present. The hope of the Messianic goods, usually experienced in banquets, was a glimpse of the end of time.
• Luke 14:16-20: The great banquet is ready. Jesus responds with a parable. There was a man who gave a great banquet and he invited a great number of people”. But the duty of each one prevents the guest from accepting the invitation. The first one says, “I have bought a piece of land and must go and see it!” The second, “I have bought five yoke of oxen and am on my way to try them out!” The third one, “I have just got married and so am unable to come!” Under the limits of the law those people had the right not to accept the invitation (cf. Deut 20:5-7).
• Luke 14:21-22: The invitation remains, it is not cancelled. The master of the banquet was indignant in seeing that his invitation had not been accepted. In the last instance, the one who is indignant is precisely Jesus because the norms of the strict observance of the law reduced the space for people to be able to live the gratuity of an invitation to the house of friends, an invitation characterized by fraternal spirit and by sharing. Thus the master of the feast orders the servants to invite the poor, the blind, the crippled, and the lame. Those who were normally excluded because they were considered unclean are now invited to sit around the banquet table.
• Luke 14:23-24: There is still room. The banquet room is not full. Then the master of the house ordered the servants to invite those passing on the street. Those are the pagans. They are also invited to sit around the table. Thus, in the banquet of the parable of Jesus, everybody sits around the same table, Jews and pagans. At the time of Luke, there were many problems which prevented the realization of this ideal of the common banquet. By means of the parable Luke shows that the practice of the banquet came precisely from Jesus.
After the destruction of Jerusalem, in the year 70, the Pharisees took over the government in the synagogues demanding the rigid fulfillment of the norms which identified them as the Jewish people. The Jews who converted to Christianity were considered a threat because they destroyed the walls which separated Israel from other people. The Pharisees tried to force them to abandon their faith in Jesus. Because they did not succeed, they drove them away from the synagogues. All this brought about a slow and progressive separation between the Jews and the Christians which was a source of great suffering especially for the converted Jews (Rom 9:1-5). In the parable, Luke indicates very clearly that these converted Jews were not unfaithful to their people. On the contrary, they are the ones who are invited and accept the invitation. They are the true continuation of Israel. Those who were unfaithful were those who did not accept the invitation and did not want to recognize Jesus the Messiah (Lk 22:66; Acts 13: 27).
4) Personal questions
• In general, who are the people who are invited and who are the
people who in general are not invited to our feasts?
• What are the reasons which today limit the participation of people in society and in the Church? And what are the reasons that some give to exclude themselves from the community? Are they just reasons?
• What are the reasons which today limit the participation of people in society and in the Church? And what are the reasons that some give to exclude themselves from the community? Are they just reasons?
5) Concluding prayer
Full of splendor and majesty His work,
His saving justice stands firm for ever.
He gives us a memorial of His great deeds;
Yahweh is mercy and tenderness. (Ps 111:3-4)
His saving justice stands firm for ever.
He gives us a memorial of His great deeds;
Yahweh is mercy and tenderness. (Ps 111:3-4)
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét