A Heavenly Banquet
Wherever Jesus goes, He is always aware of everything around Him. He notices what people say and do, and can often tell what they are thinking.
A Pharisee leader invited Jesus to join him for a Sabbath meal. Jesus knew that the other guests were watching Him, not because they were captivated by His teachings, but probably because they were curious about what He would say about them. Jesus noticed that all the guests tried to sit in places of honor, so He used this opportunity to tell them a parable.
A man hosted a wedding banquet. Now, weddings can be large and often complicated events. One of the most stressful tasks can be arranging the seating chart so that everyone is satisfied. When my daughter got married, we struggled not only with deciding who should sit together (we didn't want crazy Aunt Mary sitting next to her father's soft-spoken partner), but also with choosing the table location. Everyone wants to sit up front, near the bride and groom, and not by the kitchen door.
The parable's wedding had open seating, like Southwest Airlines. As guests arrived, they chose seats of honor near the host. Jesus warned them that when more important guests arrived, they might be asked to give up their seats. How embarrassing would it be to walk to the back near the kitchen door? That would not only be humbling but also humiliating.
But if you choose to sit in the back, the host might personally escort you to the front. Imagine how good that would feel. We should follow Jesus’ advice and strive to stay humble. At the very least, this might prevent our pride from being wounded. However, be wary of false humility, which avoids acknowledging a job well done because we're really hoping for more praise.
However, the most important point that the guests seemed to forget is that they were invited to the wedding banquet. The host chose them to celebrate this special event.
As children of God, we are all invited to the Heavenly Banquet. God loves all His children equally with divine love. I understand it can be difficult for some to accept that we are all equal in God’s eyes. Living a “holy” lifestyle does not guarantee a front-row seat at the banquet, and living a “less-than-ideal” life does not mean you'll end up in a Heavenly ghetto.
But there's another banquet we're all invited to attend—God’s earthly feast. We are asked to bring a gift to this celebration—the gift of an open heart, which God will fill with love during the festivities.
During this event, we can continuously nurture and deepen our relationship with God. Our eyes will be opened to the many wonders in our lives, and we will recognize the incredible privilege of being children of God. Accepting this invitation might not always bring wealth and power into our lives, but it will make us more aware of what truly matters, such as love, forgiveness, honesty, and trust.
At this earthly banquet, strive to see the good in all the people we meet, not just those we like. The letter to the Hebrews states that when we show hospitality to strangers without realizing it, we might be welcoming angels. God wants us to be honest, respectful, responsible, and accountable to each other. Mother Teresa wrote that we belong to each other. We are family. If our church, neighborhood, or community does not make everyone feel included, then it is our responsibility, yours and mine, to make it better. We need to make God's family feel safe and welcomed.
Jesus Christ taught us the Beatitudes: to be meek, merciful, and pure in heart; to be peacemakers; and to forgive one another as God in Christ has forgiven us. Imagine what this Earthly Banquet would be like if everyone, regardless of race, religion, or nationality, put God and neighbor first. God knows everything about us and, therefore, knows what we are capable of achieving if we put our hearts and minds into it.
My siblings, this Earthly Feast is not just a dream. It begins with building our relationship with God. Each day, we have the opportunity to make this feast a reality. Some days we do better than others, but God doesn't expect us to be perfect. We are asked to do two things: love God and love each other. If we live this way, just imagine the world we could create.
Therefore, we need to regularly review our seating chart. Where have we placed God? Is our loving Father sitting nearby, or are those prized seats reserved for people who make us feel important and look good?
Don't worry about God’s Heavenly Banquet. We're all invited, and we all have seats upfront. Instead, focus on this Earthly Banquet. Concentrate on making this world a place where everyone feels wanted and appreciated; a feast where everyone celebrates the wonder and love of God.
