How do you see the world?
We each have a world view, lenses with which we see what is happening around us, to determine our reaction, interaction, and how we understand what we have seen.
Henry Thoreau is reported to have said “The question is not what you look at but what you see.”
Much too often, we fail to see beyond our fears, our biases, our habits, the story we see is limited. Sometimes our blinders are like a racehorse and we aren’t getting a full picture, or maybe like someone with a cataract, we aren’t getting a full view, but something really narrow or very unclear.
The day of the banquet, there were some leaders watching Jesus closely… how would he act? Would he say the wrong thing?
Even the banquet host was focused on getting the best of the best, to be with Jesus.
Each had a vision for what they thought Jesus would react, how he would be. They waited to see what they thought would happen. Their vision was narrow and limited.
But Jesus challenged their views… He tells them a parable…
A parable on honor and humility… do not choose the place of honor at such a banquet, for you might be asked to move and you would be dishonored, but choose the lowest place and you may be moved up and honored in the sight of all.
For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.
Live lives of humility but Jesus doesn’t end it there.
He talks to his host… don’t invite those who can repay you, your relatives, the rich and powerful. The honor isn’t there but in those who can’t repay, invite them: the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind…
You will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.
Jesus changed the story of hospitality; he opened their eyes to possibilities, but did they take the blinders off, did they cast off their narrow view… our lives are connected and we are called to live humble, honorable lives that invites everyone to the banquet, and most especially those who are so often forgotten, the ones we don’t see, the ones who can’t repay us…
As I sat with Jesus parable, I thought of a story, a poem shared by the Poet Laurate of the US, Joy Harjo, this poem entitled You can Change the Story connects with what Jesus did in his parable.
[poem]
The story changed; the new vision helped the village saw what happened anew; the evil did not come from the strangers but from one in their midst.
I feel that poem, that story she wrote from her Muscogee Creek Nation heritage speaks to all of us.
We can change the story. If we but look anew.
This is what Jesus is doing with his parables for us.
The author Luke Timothy Johnson points out that Jesus is challenging all of our conventional patterns of seeing.
“We might typically see this passage as a call to change our service and outreach to the poor. Indeed it certainly is that. However, it is also a challenge to see more deeply the gap which lies between those we believe are ok to go to church with and those Jesus is inviting into the community, in point of fact inviting to come to the table with us and full members of the family of Abraham.” (Luke, 227)
Jesus invites us to be a community of Love. Offering deep hospitality to all from the well of love we have.
Jesus asks us to see one another from his perspective; a Christ-like humility that realizes that we are not the center of all things but part of a much larger world and to embrace a spirit of Gospel-centered gratitude for all the blessings we have received, not because of anything we have done to deserve them, but only because of the complete and unconditional love of God for us and for all.
May we open our eyes, really open our eyes to see what God is doing right around us; may we change our story to fit with what God is doing and join in! Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment