Plan a date !

"When Jesus came to this place, he lifted up his eyes and said to him : Zacchaeus, hurry down ; because I have to stay in your house today. Zacchaeus hastened down, and received him with joy. Seeing this, all murmured, and said : He went to lodge with a sinful man" (Luke 19: 5-7).

A meal is a great way to get to know people. This is an opportunity to share, discuss, understand and be understood, to laugh, to confide... Jesus said to a man who had invited him : "When you organize a dinner or a supper, do not invite your friends, your brothers, your parents, or rich neighbors, lest they invite you to return the favor. When you organize a feast, invite on the contrary poor, crippled, lame, blind, and you will be happy, because they can not make you the same. Indeed, it will be restored to the resurrection of the righteous" (Luke 14: 12-14).

It's easy to invite the people we love and with whom we have affinities. We like to stay in our circles, even in church. When little children wanted to enter the circle of Jesus, it disturbed the disciples. There are different poor people around us. There are "poor families", having no family, or no contact with her. There are "social poor", having no friends. There are "poor financiers", having no money to make a good meal. There are also "spiritual poor" who are spiritually dead. We can invite these poor, and share the Lord's love with them, around a meal. Pastors know that church meals are always the best way to gather the most people, because people like to eat and talk. Try to find out what the "poor" who live near you likes to eat. Would he like to eat a buffalo steak ? Seafood ? Chili con carne ? A peanut chicken ? Banana fritters ? Breton crepes (I understand that he likes that) ? Find what he likes, and invite him ! Plan a date, go for it !

Jeremy Sourdril