My Sisters and Brothers:
In today’s Gospel, Jesus has a very specific message about how we are to regard ourselves, and how we are to treat other people. He reminds us we are called to be “humble,” and we must have profound respect for others–especially the “lowly” among us. Jesus says: “Humble yourself the more, the greater you are, and you will find favor with God . . . for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted . . . 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” (see Luke 14:1, 7-14). As followers of the Lord Jesus, we are called to treat every other human being with absolute respect. This means that we must be willing to look beyond our differences and to actually treat others with tolerance, love, forgiveness, patience and genuine respect. But how difficult this is to do!
The message of our Christian faith clearly teaches us that all people, no matter who or “what” they are, have the same dignity and are equal in the eyes of our God. With this in mind, we need only to remember the words of St. Paul who said “there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free person, there is not male and female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (see Galatians 3:28). And so, as we reflect on today’s Gospel, we might then ask ourselves “who are the marginalized of society, or that’s to say the ‘humble’ and/or ‘the lowly’ among us today?” It seems to me this question is very poignantly highlighted in our own time and place.
In this day and age, it seems to me our society is becoming more “polarized,” and now many have become very intolerant of those who are accused of being part of differing political, religious and secular “camps.” Isn’t it true that many are quick to condemn and dismiss as “on the fringe” those with whom they might not agree over the important questions of our time. We need only to tune into current political news to see this dynamic displayed in all of its closed-minded and uncharitable fury! And unfortunately, “church politics” seems not to have escaped from this scourge that taints our communal and civil discourse.
It has bothered me greatly that people I know and love have decided to cut off, shun, ostracize, and “de-friend” others with whom they disagree over the important questions of our time. The command to respect others, invoked by Jesus in today’s Gospel, challenges us to take an opposite approach. We are actually called to “embrace” and to “invite to the banquet” even those with whom we might have profound differences.
With this in mind, we might consider the “lowly” among us to be those who simply have divergent opinions, alternative political persuasions, “unorthodox” spiritual perspectives and/or radical or “fringe” views on this or that question. In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells us that from the perspective of our own “humility,” even these people can and must be treated with utmost respect and love. These are the very people, today’s metaphorical “poor, crippled, lame, and blind,” whom we are called to invite to the “banquet of God’s love.” How difficult this is to do, but how necessary it is, for those of us who follow the Lord Jesus!
My friends, as we strive to live in peace and harmony with others, may we encourage each other with this important message of our faith! And may we always show profound respect for each and every person who comes our way!
Praise God! Friar Timothy
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