A Sermon preached on August 28th, Pentecost XV
at St. Augustine’s, Wiesbaden (Open Air Service)
Sirach 10:12-18, Hebrews
13:1-8, 15-16, Luke 14:1, 7-14
As we will be eating,
drinking, and celebrating together after this service, it seems very appropriate
that both our readings today mention hospitality, invitation, and banquets.
In one of his
books, Tom Wright, former Bishop of Durham and a prolific NT scholar and writer,
mentions how once, when he was a parish priest he preached on today’s passage
from Luke, especially on Jesus’ call to invite the poor, the crippled, the
lame, and the blind, rather than friends, family or rich neighbors, to lunches
or dinner events. Bishop Wright noted how, in the following weeks, he and his
wife received a number of invitations to dinner from people who had never invited
them round before. Which led him to wonder which of the groups, the poor, the
crippled, the lame, or the blind, they were thought to belong to. Please feel free to continue to invite Heidi
and me …. We will not be insulted.
But seriously, who
are the stranger, poor, crippled, lame, or blind for us? And why should we
invite them?
Both of Jesus’
examples are parables, so they have at least two layers of meanings: a surface
and a deeper meaning, and both are equally valid. The obvious answer to the
question is that his followers are called to follow his example and to invite those
on the margins of society, those who struggle to get a simple meal, let alone
enjoy a banquet, to their meals. The Old Testament imperative to seek justice,
to care for the poor, and to change the circumstances, conditions, and
attitudes that make and keep people poor is still valid today. This is also
a call for social justice.
But it is more. Jesus
is not just thinking of physical food and drink, but of access to himself, the food
and drink of life and of admission to the heavenly banquet that stands for God’s
kingdom. His teaching is also a teaching against any tendencies to see the membership
of God’s people and access to God’s kingdom as being in any way dependent on a
person’s social and economic status, education, health, supposed perfection,
ethnicity, in fact anything that people just are. There are no limits. All are
invited to the feast.
I first wore this
stole, a present from St. George’s College in Jerusalem, at an open air Eucharist
on the Mount of Beatitudes, the place identified and revered as the site of the
Sermon on the Mount. So when I read of an invitation to the poor, I am reminded
of the first Beatitude, the first blessing: “blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:3) And so in Jesus’ command to invite the poor,
crippled, lame and blind, I also see a call to reach out to and invite those who
spiritually impoverished to our spiritual feast, to welcome those who feel lost
and unloved, even by God, because of what they have suffered. Our unconditional
invitation, our hospitality could be a first step on their path back to faith. And that is also one reason why Jesus wants us
to extend this invitation on his behalf.
The author of the
Letter to the Hebrews tells us: “Do not neglect to show hospitality to
strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it.” (Hebrews
13:1) He is referring to the story in Genesis (18:1-8) of how Abraham
entertains three strangers, who turn out to be God’s messengers – and that is
all the word angel means, messenger. They bring good news, in Abraham’s case
the good news that he will have a son of his own. If Abraham had not welcomed
them, he would have missed that news. Showing hospitality to strangers is always
an opportunity: to make new friends, to hear stories, to learn and to grow, and
to help where needed.
The Hebrews’
passage also reminds me of the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats Matthew (25).
“I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to
drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me
clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited
me.” (25:35-36) Jesus tells the righteous in that passage, because he is in
everyone in need: “just as you did it to one of the least of these … you did it
to me.” (25:40) This was a surprise to the righteous, they had not helped the
people out of some sort of calculation, because they expected to be repaid. They
did so because their faith community and religious practice had formed them that
way.
Our fellowship – like
today’s picnic – is an expression of our mutual care and affection. But it is
only good, Jesus tells us, if that care and affection is not restricted to our immediate
community, just to our friends, relatives, and rich neighbors. Despite all our failings and doubts, and our
own poverty of spirit, we have already been invited to join the great banquet
that is God’s kingdom, we have been welcomed in and so we welcome all in turn. We
were the guests, and now it is our turn to be the hosts.
“Do not neglect to
do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.” (Hebrews
13:16) Finally, as the author of Hebrews reminds us, our common life as a Christian
community, our life of mutual fellowship with Jesus at its heart, our life of
giving and loving is an act of worship and one that we can be sure that God is
delighted with.
Amen.
