Gospel: Luke 14: 1-6
It is an odd dinner party that invites a guest to dine with them and then proceeds to spend the entire meal looking for things to criticize about their guest. And yet that is often the case for Jesus at parties hosted by the Pharisees. Today he is criticized for healing a man at the meal, which happened to be on the sabbath. In the view of the Pharisees this violated the ban on working, though it is unclear how the meal was prepared without any work...
How often do we undertake the work of the liturgy which is an invitation to Jesus to be among us in the Eucharist, and how often do we seek opportunities to criticize - finding fault with the presider, choir, servers, or the liturgy itself. How often are those who seek healing at this meal prevented from doing so because we find them unworthy of such. And how many walk away because they tire of these attitudes, tire of the religious wars, tire of the arguments over who is worthy and who is not to approach the table.
But when we have finally crafted that perfect church in our own image and likeness we will find it a small one indeed among a vast rubble of our own making. We will, of course, blame others for all this, not ourselves. Or, we could attend the other meal, the one Jesus has with sinners, where everyone is welcome, everyone grateful to be present with the Lord and with one another.
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