Tuesday August 31, 2021

Always apologies...

At the time of the feast he sent his servant to say to the guests, Come, for everything is already ready. But all without exception began to apologize. Luke 14.17-18

In this parable Jesus introduces us to a king who is organizing a big reception for his son's wedding (Matthew 22.1-10). He invites a lot of people, but the guests find all kinds of excuses to decline the invitation : "I bought a field and I have to go and see it, excuse me please... I bought five pairs of oxen and I'm going to try them out, excuse me please... I just got married, that's why I can't come." (Luke 14.18-20) A bogus apology as we would say today, because what urgency was there to refuse this generous invitation ? Seeing his field, trying his oxen, could well wait until the next day. The young groom could well have the agreement of his wife... In this pictorial form, Jesus shows us all these good reasons that we invoke to put our wealth, our work, our sentimental life first, before the invitation that God directs us to live in communion with him. These concerns are legitimate in themselves, but bringing them forward is indicative of the priorities we set for our lives. By remaining deaf to the call that God sends to us through his Son Jesus Christ, we miss the essential, this abundant life that God wants to share with us.

Bernard Grebille

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Proposed reading : Gospel according to Luke, chapter 14, verses 15 to 24.

Source (Live Today)