Welcoming with faith through love

 

I remember being invited over to a friend’s house for dinner when I was a kid.  My mom told me to be on my best behavior and to offer to help in any way I could think of.  Just before the meal, my friend’s mom asked me if I would like to lead in praying the grace.  Remembering my mom’s admonition, I agreed.  I began with the Sign of the Cross, then prayed the standard “Catholic” grace almost everyone knows.  When I said “Amen”, my friend’s mom and dad both repeated the amen, but my buddy said, “We’re not Catholic.  We don’t do the whole ‘Father, Son, Holy Ghost bit’.”  His parents shot him a look that told me I had done nothing wrong, but I was still a little bit taken aback.  Can you imagine being invited to someone’s home for an evening meal and then find yourself being criticized for the way you eat your food by the very host who welcomed you?  It might very well make you wonder why you were invited in the first place!  Of course, being kids, his indiscretion and my ignorance of his faith and practices were soon forgotten, and we had a great time for the rest of the evening (after the 2 of us washed and dried the dishes).

My reflection today presents, I think, an interesting albeit similar moment in the life and public ministry of Jesus.  Luke tells us that after Jesus had spoken to a group of Pharisees and said, “This generation is an evil generation; it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it, except the sign of Jonah.” (Luke 11:29-32), one of those same Pharisees invited him to dine at his home. 

If I had just been told that I was part of an evil generation how would that make me feel?  I’m not so sure I’d want to invite Jesus to my home for a meal unless I had some ulterior motive.  Yet, Jesus accepted the invitation, never wanting to miss an opportunity to set those so terribly bound by mere observance of the law free.  But His host missed the chance of a lifetime and could only fall back on criticizing Jesus because He didn’t observe the ritual of washing before the meal itself.  He missed the freeing love of Jesus who was there with him at table.  What a great loss!  St. Paul tells us that only faith working through love is what matters and that for freedom Christ set us free (Galatians 5:1-6). 

It’s a wonderful reminder that we, like the Pharisee, can invite the Lord into our home, to welcome Him as we gather around our table for a meal.  But the freedom He brings will only be ours if we’re willing to welcome him in trusting faith and selfless love, something our Pharisee friend couldn’t do.