Table Fellowship

Homily for Saturday after Ash Wednesday

The picture that the prophet Isaiah paints in this morning’s first reading is very appropriate for Lent. Isaiah speaks of springtime, of watered gardens, of springs whose water never fails. He tells us that the gloom of winter will be dispelled and that light shall rise from the darkness. For people in the northern hemisphere, it is a time when the earth comes to life, a very apt metaphor for what is supposed to happen to us during Lent. The very word “Lent” comes to us from the German word “Lenz” which means “spring”. Of course, in the southern hemisphere, this metaphor doesn’t fit; consequently, Lent is referred to as the “40 days” or “Quadragesima,” recalling that Jesus spent 40 days in the desert at the beginning of his ministry.

These 40 days are set aside to praise and worship the Lord, turn to the Scriptures, and to fast. However, our fasting should not be looked upon as something negative. Indeed, fasting is recommended by the Church for the sole purpose of reminding us of how dependent we are upon God. Of course, we should never lose sight of our dependence upon God’s providential care; however, we tend to get bogged down by sin and failed to recognize how much God wishes to be in our lives. So, the Church keeps Lent as a solemn season of repentance.

Those who observe Lent correctly anticipate deeper intimacy with the Lord. The Gospel text for today reminds us of that intimacy as Jesus calls a tax collector, Levi by name, to follow him. Both Saint Luke and St. Mark refer to this tax collector by the name of Levi which was also the name of the third son of Jacob. In St. Matthew’s Gospel, Levi becomes Matthew himself. Inasmuch as St. Matthew’s Gospel accentuates the topic of reconciliation, Matthew may have taken the tax collector’s name simply to emphasize that Jesus had come for sinners rather than for those who consider themselves righteous.

As Saint Luke so frequently does, he places Jesus at the dinner table with sinners. Table fellowship is one of the frequent focuses of St. Luke’s Gospel. Recognizing that one usually does not sit down at table with those whom we consider enemies, Jesus is making the strong statement that sinners are not to be considered enemies of God.

This morning, we once again sit at table with the Lord, ready to receive his body and blood as our food for the journey. Jesus welcomes us just as he welcomed Levi the tax collector.