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.´" (Luke 14: 15-24)
Introductory Prayer: Oh God, thank you for allowing me to come into your presence.
Your love enlarges my soul. I long to see your face! I come to this prayer with
a thirst to just be in your presence, relax under your loving gaze. May my
presence here be an expression of my love for you.
Petition: Lord, help me to put aside all excuses when invited to your
banquet.
1. Valuing the Invitation: Some
of the happiest moments of our lives are spent around a banquet table.
Milestones are celebrated there, friendships grow deeper, and relationships are
renewed. Could this be why Jesus so frequently used this image to describe
heaven? Let’s spend a moment thinking about the joy of heaven — of this
never-ending feast. We cannot fathom what it will be like to see God and the
inexhaustible beauty of his Triune majesty. And the company will be great! In
the heavenly banquet it doesn’t matter where you sit: you’ll be next to a
saint, and the conversation will be wonderful!
2. Legitimate RSVP? Going
to a banquet takes some effort. You need to get a babysitter, pick out
something to wear and possibly alter previous plans. If the invitation isn’t valued, that effort won’t be
forthcoming; instead, you will make excuses. They may express a reality — those
oxen are ready to go! — but they camouflage the real issue: that particular
banquet doesn’t seem worth it. This should make us reflect on the excuses we
have about our spiritual lives. Do they mask a growing spiritual mediocrity?
3. The House Will Be Filled: The
master of the house is upset because the people that should have been the first
to accept his invitation turn him down. But everything is purchased, and the
party is ready to go. Someone will have a chance to enjoy it. Here perhaps is
another angle for reflection: We are that master’s servants. He wants his house
to be filled, and he needs us to make it happen. The servants are quick and
agile, and they understand what the master wants: “There’s still room!” So too,
let’s ask the Lord to give us apostolic hearts that won’t rest until the house
is full. What a feast that will be!
Conversation with Christ:
Lord Jesus, I am looking forward to the day
when we will be with you at the feast of the Kingdom of Heaven. Help me to
understand that the joy and happiness of that banquet are worth the sacrifice
of any worldly priority. So often I have excuses. Give me strength never to be
pulled away from you.
Resolution: I will accept God’s invitation and not put anything in front of
my prayer life today.
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