Jesus’ time on earth culminated in a supper with chosen friends—the “Last Supper.” Prior to that moment he had fed his disciples with his wisdom, his miracles, and the excitement of ministry. Now it was time to feed them with his own body and blood, so that they would become one with him. From that moment Jesus would begin to live inside them and they would have a place at the Father’s table, forever.
What a privilege for those twelve men to be invited to this greatest of all suppers and to receive the real Jesus into themselves. Everything else Jesus did led up to this moment. Imagine the tragedy if one or more these men turned down the Last Supper invitation because they had a fishing trip planned that day.
Today we read the story of chosen people who turned down a special dinner invitation (Luke 14:15-24).
“One of those at table with Jesus said to him, ‘Blessed is the one who will dine in the Kingdom of God.”
Sitting with Jesus at table, the man talked about the great day when the Kingdom of God would come and they would be sharing the Kingdom banquet together.
“Jesus said to him, ‘A man gave a great dinner to which he invited many. When the time for the dinner came, he dispatched his servant to say to those invited, ‘Come, everything is now ready.’ But one by one, they began to excuse themselves. The first said to him, ‘I have purchased a field and must go examine it…And another said, ‘I have purchased five yoke of oxen and am on my way to evaluate them…And another said, ‘I have just married…therefore I cannot come.’”
This was no ordinary dinner; it was a “great” dinner—it was the banquet in the Kingdom of God. What Israel had longed for, suffered for, and prayed for had at last come. Imagine the honor to be among the select people invited to this feast. And yet “one by one” people opted for lesser things. What a tragedy!
“Then the master of the house in a rage commanded is servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in here the poor and the crippled, the blind and the lame…that my home may be filled.”
The generous master opened his home to the poor—those who had no land, no oxen, no homes. They would gladly accept the invitation. These were the ones that no one wanted to have for dinner.
Did the excuse makers ever realize what they turned down? What about us? Do we realize the privilege we have in being invited to the Lamb’s Supper—the Eucharist—and eat the bread sent from heaven? This is the epitome of human experience. In the Eucharist heaven interpenetrates earth. Forgiveness of sin pours out, God’s living Word is shared, we renew our sacred covenant with God, prayers are answered, healing is given, and we share in the one bread and one cup—the living Body of Jesus.
Let’s rejoice in the fact that God opened his home to all of us. Let’s not join the ranks of those excuse makers who turned down the only opportunity that really counted in their lives.
“You will show me the path of life, the fullness of joy in your presence” (Ps 16:11).
