The Invitation List

Gospel: Luke 14: 12-14

The doctrine of the preferential option for the poor is rooted in today's Gospel reading.  In all our dealings as a church we are instructed to invite first the poor and marginalized into our communities, both to the Eucharistic table and to our tables of fellowship.  Others are certainly welcome and invited to participate as well, but it is to the poor and marginalized that our primary efforts must be directed in these undertakings of our ours.

The wealthy and comfortable are not in need of food and fellowship; they have plenty of both.  The poor and marginalized, however, lack both food and companionship in their lives.  They need the meal, and they need our friendship.  It is an easy thing for us to invited our friends to church or to a meal, but how much more challenging is it for us to invite the poor! They may not even want to come given the lack of welcome they often face when entering a church.

A church that caters to the rich and powerful looks and acts a certain way.  It is exclusive, aloof, and indifferent to the needs of the poor and disenfranchised.  It is about the favors and privileges it seeks for itself.  A church that focuses on the poor and needy looks quite different.  It is humble.  It listens to its people.  It seeks the good of those who desperately need it.  It will be poor itself so that others might have what they need.  Jesus calls us to be such a church.