Homily: November 7, 2023, Tuesday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time (Invitation).

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“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."

Today’s gospel story really struck me deep.

The poor, the crippled, the blind, the lame: who are they?

At the time of Jesus, these were the people who were despised, considered imperfect and looked upon by society as people abandoned by God, cursed and thus without the blessing of wealth nor health.

And because of their imperfections, being rejected by society, they can't do many things on their own, opportunities are blocked, doors are closed to them. They only have one hope - God. They have no one else to depend on.

Conversely, those who were better off, those blessed with wealth and health, who were the first guests invited to the grand dinner, were so busy with their own affairs, and engrossed in their own world that they had little or no regard for the invitation. 

They were independent, they did not think they needed to deepen their relationship with God because they believed God had already blessed them. They took for granted that they will always have a good life. God's invitation meant nothing to them.

Does this sound familiar?

Many people in our world today live like that, believing that they are independent to craft their own lives, build their own success, live their own dreams without the need for God. Their lives are totally disconnected from God. They do not believe in eternal life. To them, the comfort of this earthly life is most important. They believe in YOLO – you only live once, so their aim is to enjoy themselves fully and work only to satisfy their own needs.

Some finally do turn to God when their world crumbles and fail on them. Some continue to be stubborn.

It is indeed a pastoral challenge for the church to enlighten them that there is an eternal life after this brief earthly life, that their aim should be to deny self, live for God, care for others.

Jesus is thus warning His listeners, not to be so comfortable with life that they think they are independent from God. They should always need God like the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame. These will be the ones to share eternity with Him because they trust Him and His providence.

Are you comfortable with your life, such that you begin to think that you don’t need God? Would you ever be too busy to heed His call, accept His invitation or attend His banquet?

If you are, if you would be, then pray to be uncomfortable, lest you forget. 

Amen


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Homily, Wednesday,January 5, 2022, Memorial of Saint John Neumann, Bishop

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