GOSPEL: LK 14:15-24
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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.’”
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Commenting on the Gospel, Pope Francis affirmed (on Nov. 5, 2013) that being invited to follow Jesus is “a free invitation and the sender is God… We’re freely invited, purely by God’s grace, purely by the Father’s love. And it was Jesus who, through his blood, made it possible for us.” This invitation is “to a party, to enjoy oneself, to the joy of being saved, the joy of being redeemed.”
For Pope Francis, this “party” is “a gathering of people, speaking, laughing, enjoying themselves, being happy.” At this party we need company, to be “with others, with family and friends.” This means “sharing and belonging.” The Church is composed of “people who have been invited to a party” that “brings us together.” It is a “feast of togetherness.”
Pope Francis noted “the list of those who have been invited”: The poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame. Francis drew the conclusion that “the Church isn’t just for good people, but sinners too; all we sinners have been invited.” Do you perceive the evident joy in Pope Francis’ insights about belonging to the Church?
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SOURCE: “365 Days with the Lord 2020,” ST. PAULS Philippines, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 895-9701; Fax 895-7328; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.
