Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

When you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind.

Gospel Reading Luke 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.”

Today is “All Hallows Eve” or Halloween.  Over the past couple of decades, this holiday has lost its true meaning.  All Hallows Eve was a preparation for the next two days; All Saints Day and All Souls Day.  It was a day when we were suppose to flush our souls of the evil spirits from within.  We would dress up as scary individuals to scare away the evil. It was about ridding the world of evil spirits.  It was a time to celebrate our defeat over evil. 

Today’s Gospel reading also focuses on our celebrations.  When you have a party, who do you invite?  Do you invite the privileged, the popular, those that will increase your stature among your friends.  In today’s Gospel reading, we hear a story about the poor and those that are less fortunate. Jesus’ mission on earth was to show each of us the way to heaven. It’s simple, the way to heaven is through self-sacrifice. The Pharisees were more worried about inviting the wealthy and influential to have dinner with them to impress Jesus then they were to help the poor and less fortunate. They invited the rich and wealthy in hopes that they would be invited to their parties. When they invited someone to dinner, they expected an invitation in return. But Jesus told the Pharisees that they need to “invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you.” If you are truly generous, your gifts are given without any expectations in return. True gifts are a measure of self-sacrifice to the receiver. Therefore, true generosity comes from the heart and soul. As soon as we expect something in return, the gift is no longer from the heart but influenced by our own greed.

God loved us so much that he sent his only son to save us. Jesus was a servant to humanity. He gave everything he had to save mankind. He even gave his life for us. Jesus expected nothing in return for his generosity. He died on the cross for our sins. He died on the cross knowing that many of us would not respect or honor him. He died on the cross knowing that we would deny him. He died on the cross knowing that we are a fallen society. We cannot out give God because everything we have is a gift from God. And all God asks of us is to share these gifts unconditionally with our neighbors. Our reward for our generosity “will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”

A Simple Prayer

Lord God in Heaven. You shower me with so many gifts and talents.

Free me to give freely to others and to share the gifts you have given me.

Purify my heart so I want not but give my love to others.

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon