EXCUSES

EXCUSES
Homily for Tuesday of the 31st Week in OT,
5 Nov 2024, Lk 14:12-14

I hope you don’t mind that I do some “reading between the lines” of the parable narrated by Jesus in today’s Gospel. Is the host in the story commanding his servant to let the poor and the crippled, the blind and the lame partake of his banquet because the ones he had invited had made all sorts of excuses not to attend? One gets that impression based on the way the story is being told. But you know, I suspect something else. I have a feeling that the invitees were just making all sorts of excuses because they knew that this host had a reputation of welcoming to his parties, not just his friends but also the poor and the crippled, the blind and the lame. And the invited guests must have felt that it was below their dignity to be dining in the company of those who were not of their own class status in society.
In one of the countries recently visited by Pope Francis, the media had publicized everything that the Pope had done and said, except a dinner that he had with the homeless. Every now and then, during his visits, the Pope does certain things that do not please the leaders of his host countries—such as his efforts to call attention to the plight of the poor and marginalized, especially the migrants and victims of human trafficking. The leaders usually find such gestures as offensive or even uncomplimenting. They expect him as a State visitor to just follow the usual protocol for guests in a State visit, abide by the ceremonials and photo opportunities, toast champagne exclusively with the monarchs and political leaders who are welcoming him.
I imagine the kind of discomfort the Pharisees felt about Jesus welcoming tax-collectors and prostitutes, or even people who were categorized in Jewish society as “impure” or “unclean”. That must have been the reason why, Nicodemus, for example, in spite of his admiration for Jesus, chose to meet with him in the dead of night. Or remember that