31 Week in Ordinary Time, Tuesday, November 7,2006

Scripture: Philippians 2:5-11. Psalm 22:26b-27,28-30,31-32. Luke 14:15-24

In the movie "Dead Poets'Society", Robin Williams teaches his students to put into motion the dictum in Latin "Carpe Diem" which can be translated "Seize the moment." I saw this recently in an Italian restaurant which advertized its wines through "Carpe Diem!" Another good translation in motion. Now in today's Gospel Jesus is once again at a party (Luke's Gospel is the favorite for students especially at our university) and he does not lose an opportunity for delivering an appropriate message to the guests. He seizes the moment a la Carpe Diem. The parable is about a large banquet and party at which many guests are invited but several important ones give excuses for not coming. The host does not like this so he wants to fill the halls and he sends out his workers to bring in the beggars, the blind, the lame and anyone out there in the byways. All are invited to the banquet which represents the invitation to come into the kingdom of God, but some of us do offer excuses or want a raincheck, but for the call of the Lord there is no raincheck. We learn from this parable to respond to the Lord of the party not only with our R.S.V.P. answer but with ourselves actually being a part of the gathering for the party of the Lord. Luke not only likes to have Jesus at parties, he also is the one who is most universal and inclusive in offering the calls of the Gospel. We should seize this opportunity each day as both the bread and wine of our ordinary living as well as the bread and wine of the table of the Lord are offered in the sacrament of the Eucharist.

The reading from Paul's epistle is the oldest hymn dedicated to Jesus. Paul probably copied this from the Christian community that celebrated the Lord's Supper and especially recalled his Passion, Death, and Resurrection, the Paschal Mysteries of our faith. This could have even been the hymn that Pliny the Younger was talking about when he said the Christians gather and sing a song to someone called "Chrestos" (he meant Christos). The hymn focuses on the attitudes we should have as Christians and how we are to model our lives on the humility and generosity of Jesus who served us and gave his life for us. He had seized the moment of the Incarnation to begin this process of how we are to live after his example.

The following verse of the Psalm resonated with my reflections today :" I will fulfill my vows before those who fear him. The lowly shall eat their fill. they who seek the Lord shall praise him. May your hearts be ever merry." (Psalm 22:26b-27). The Hebrew commentary reads, "A votive sacrifice was eaten by the offerer (Leviticus 7:16), and he invites the humbleto share in it. By participating in this common meal, they become knit into a brotherhood. He pronounces a blessing upon his guests. They, like him, had suffered; may they be encouraged by what had happened to him and their spirit be for ever fortified." (Psalm 22, Soncino Commentary, p.65). So all of the readings lead us to seize the moment, capture the day with our going to the Lord's party. Amen.