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Before I Forget…
'This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.'
(Luke 15:12)
Jesus invited sinners to share meals with him. Those meals were an experience of respect, acceptance, communion. Jesus called it an experience of healing. But healing, as we know from our own lives, is a process, it takes time. The community that grew around Jesus was NOT a community of "perfect people", but rather of "people on their way", people who were growing.
Concretely, that meant that the men and women who had met Jesus and shared meals with him had begun the long and difficult journey of their conversion. Instant, total, conversion looks good on paper, but it doesn't correspond to reality.
We are on a spiritual journey, pilgrimage. Just as Jesus invited sinners to share a meal with him, we need to remember that Jesus still invites all types of people to start their journey of healing and to a start learning how to say Abba to God.
The gospels are not just meant to tell us about the Jesus of 2000 years ago. They are the call of the Risen Christ to the church of 2003. In this sense, Jesus' words at the Last Supper, "Do this in memory of me," can be understood as referring, not just to the Eucharist, but also to the whole of Jesus' mission.
"Do this in memory of me": "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them"! So should we! So should we!
As we look at today's world of rapid change, terrorism, fear, war and threats of war, poverty, unemployment, drugs, gangs, violence, refugees, depression, abuse, self-hatred, addictions, loneliness, loss of hope, meaninglessness in the lives of many, we, the Church, the followers of Jesus Christ, people of the Good News, have a great gift to share with others. Our way of life, based on the gospels, can give our youth and others a sense of hope in these times we live in.
As we wrap up our centennial year this month, maybe the parish should declare a jubilee year and host a homecoming celebration for all disenfranchised parishioners. In ancient Israel, every seventh, or sabbatical, year all debts had to be cancelled. Every fiftieth, or jubilee, year everything that had been lost was restored to the original owner and everyone was call to return to his own home. You can read about this concept in chapter 25 of Leviticus in the Old Testament.
Jesus welcomed sinners and ate with them. How can we invite our brothers and sisters back to the Lord's Table? Gathering together for Mass, can we be warm and congenial, nonjudgmental and welcoming so that the healing power of Jesus can operate in the lives of our alienated and forlorn sisters and brothers?
To be truly "CATHOLIC", we need to remember that everyone has a place at the Table of the Lord. Is there some one you know who needs an invitation to return? Let's work together and invite our family members, friends and neighbors back to their place at the Lord's Table.
"He welcomes sinners and eats with them."
So should we--so should we.
There is always room at the Table for anyone who feels they are unfit or imperfect. Our Christ is the compassion of God made flesh. The parish is all about the compassion of Christ.
Compassion is what we are all about. Think about it this week.
Fr. Bill
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