Banquet Invitations

Fr. Lawrence Jagdfeld, O.F.M., Administrator

We have all had to excuse ourselves or possibly turn down an invitation. So today's Gospel passage may seem a little harsh and judgmental. While some may fault the people who turn down the invitation on the basis of their reasons, they are not the real issue in this passage.

Once again, we have to remember that the society in which Jesus lived was driven by personal honor and esteem. Most people looked for that honor from their neighbors, from the people among whom they lived and walked each and every day of their lives. They would avoid any situation in which their honor or esteem might be compromised. This was especially true in the instance of the people with whom one sat down at table. Eating with another person was a sure measure of how one was perceived in society. If one ate with people who were below their station in life, their own honor and personal esteem would be compromised. They would, in the words we often hear in this situation, "lose face."

Consequently, while it may seem perfectly outrageous to us in 21^st Century Western culture, people did not give a definite response to an invitation until they had discovered who else had been invited. They would base their response on the status of the other guests. If the other guest's standing on the social ladder was far below their own, they would offer some convenient excuse for not accepting the invitation.

This kind of behavior is evident in other situations in Jesus' life. He was constantly being criticized for being too involved with people who were considered sinners or who were poor. Today's story teaches that God's invitation, God's call, is not something that can be summarily dismissed simply because we question whom God might have called as well. This accounts for the man's anger and for the fact that he goes to great lengths to show that he believes his own personal honor comes from God rather than from other human beings. By inviting the poor, the crippled and the blind, he is committing social suicide. However, for this man, God's honor is far more important than the honor that society bestows.