Last night I drove my kids to San Jose to see my hometown Philadelphia Flyers play against the Sharks. I was raised as a big ice hockey fan, and I am proud to pass along that enthusiasm to my children. Although the Flyers lost, we enjoyed this annual ritual yet again. Simply sitting still together for several hours felt relaxing!
Many of this week’s Gospel readings focus on the invitational aspect of Jesus’ ministry. Some refer to these stories as Jesus’ table fellowship. Often Jesus explicitly invites the outcast, the downtrodden, and the marginalized to join him for a meal. This public invitation was counter-cultural, and likely contributed to Jesus’ execution. Jesus’ example informs my own vision of heaven, where each and every person is welcome and treated as an honored guest. This inclusive feast will one day be realized in the Kingdom of God.
“The danger of privilege is that we can tell ourselves we’ve opened our tables when we really haven’t. We’ve changed some rules; we’ve donated to some charities; we’ve stoped telling some jokes. But these things are not nearly enough. The challenge and opportunity for those of us with privilege is to realize that no matter how much we work to invite others to the table, ‘there is still room’ for more.” – Nick Wagner
Together let us be grateful for the privilege of life. Enjoy the quote below and a Tiny Desk concert from one of my favorite blues artists. Blessings on your week ahead!
“Gratitude is more than a reflex ‘thank you’ when someone holds a door for you. Gratitude is a spiritual practice that embraces life’s tension-flexing web of relationships and actions, like those that occur every day, all through the day.” -Tim Joy, Lasallian Colleague
Keeping the Faith 