If you wish to read the texts click here: Philippians 2:5-11; Lk 14:15-24
The setting for the parable in
these verses is the meal introduced in 14:1. It is known as the parable of the
great supper or banquet. After the host has sent invitations to those whom he
desired to come for his banquet, he sent his servants to call those guests when
everything was ready. The guests however began to offer excuse. The first
excused himself because he had bought a piece of land which he wanted to go and
see. This excuse is absurd, since no one would buy a piece of land without
first inspecting it. The second excused himself because he had bought five yoke
of oxen, which he had to go and see, which again is absurd for the same reason.
These excuse bring out the fact that it is material possessions and their hold
on the persons concerned which prevent them for responding to the invitation.
The third guest allows family commitments to hinder his response. While such a
reason is plausible, it serves to highlight the fact of the total rejection of
the host’s invitations. On hearing the excuses through his servants, the host
is angry. He now reaches out to the poor, the crippled, the lame and the
blind. This list is identical to the list mentioned in 14:13 and the ones
whom Jesus challenged his host to invite. Since there is more room, a second
invitation is sent in order to fill the banquet hall. The point being made by
the parable is that many of those who take for granted that their places are
reserved will find themselves out of a place and their place taken by those
whom they considered unworthy. While the invitation of the host is
important to enter the banquet hall, one excludes oneself from it by the choice
that one makes.
Procrastination is a sin of
many of us. We keep putting off till later what we can and sometimes must do
now. To get over this sin one needs to start now and not later.
>Procrastination is a sin of many of us. We keep putting off till later what we can and sometimes must do now.
ReplyDelete- This reminds me of a quote that my dad mentioned a few times. I do not know the origin and Google can’t confirm it either.
“Do not wait for the eleventh hour; you may die at ten thirty.”
Kate