Reflection for Monday,  31st Week of Ordinary Time

By

Fr. Aloysius Santiago sdb
Director, Social Action Movement, Don Bosco Bidar

Today's WORD of GOD 


 Luke 14: 12 -14

 Do not invite those who might be able to invite you back

 Jesus said to his host, one of the leading Pharisees, ‘When you give a lunch or a dinner, do not ask your friends, brothers, relations or rich neighbours, for fear they repay your courtesy by inviting you in return. No; when you have a party, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; that they cannot pay you back means that you are fortunate, because repayment will be made to you when the virtuous rise again.’

Today's Reflection 

Sharing Our Blessings

In General, People Live by the Quid Pro Quo Principle, Caring for Ourselves & Family & Friends & Paying Our Lawful Debts,  & Occasionally Giving to Some Charity. We Feel that Everyone should Work for Their Living & that the State should Take Care of the Disabled & the Aged. But maybe Our Faith Asks a Bit More than that from Us.

The Parable Sets the Bar very High, Inviting Us to Show even Unmerited Hospitality to Others. 

Its Implications is that Our Dealings with Others should Measure Up to GOD'S Goodness to Us.

St Paul Translates that General ideal of Mercy into Specific Examples, for His Readers. They are to Foster Unity of Spirit & Shared ideals, Avoid All Rivalry or Conceit, & Sincerely Care for the Interests of Others. 

He then Makes It very Personal by Saying that the Harmony in that Community will Gladden his heart as Their Founding Apostles. He Conveys a Sense of Moral Obligation while Respecting Their Freedom & Spontaneity. 

The Gospel illustrates a Level Generosity Far Beyond what Most of Us will ever Fully Practice.

Mealtime Companions

A Wealthy Pharisee had Invited JESUS to Dinner. Inviting HIM as a Guest was Itself Unusual, since Pharisees Tended to Eat only with Their Circle of Like-Minded Friends. Then the Surprising Guest Proposes that HIS Host should Regularly Bring to Dinner People whom He would Not Normally Think to Invite, People who were Outsiders, Poor & Hungry.

In Contrast to the Pharisees, JESUS Regularly Dined with All Sorts of People, Rich & Poor Alike, with the Educated & Uneducated, with the Devout & Outsiders, with Men & with Women. The Broad Range of HIS Table Companions was Typical of HIS Personality. Nobody was Ruled Out from HIS Outreach & HIS Company. 

HIS Aim was to Reveal GOD'S Gracious Welcome for Everyone, Especially Those who were Considered Outsiders. 

While We are Meant to Practice Something of that Hospitality in Our Whole Way of Life, It’s All too Easy to Exclude Some People from Our Goodwill. 

It is Tempting to Dine only Within a Circle of Friends who Share Our Attitudes & Who can Invite Us Back. 


Good morning

God bless you with His abundant graces.

Have a lovely day and a great week ahead.