C Cycle –22^nd Sunday in Ordinary Time 25

Lk. 14:1-/, 14

Each of us has seen a person demanding they be treated differently because of who they are. “They expect special treatment because they are privileged or because of the position they hold.’ Do you know “who I am” is not a question but it is a posturing to intimidate the person confronting them. Recently, I witnessed such a person as they were being admonished by a police officer.  Not only were they their privileged status be acknowledged; they were advising the officer to back off.  because they were in a prominent position in law enforcement.  The officer politely replied, “good for you” and proceeded to arrest the person because they continued to disobey the officers request to leave a restricted space. 

But like the wedding guest in today’s parable, they believed they deserved special treatment because of who they were.  Medal of Honor recipients are among those who are humble and downplay their acti of valor because they recognize the bravery of the unnoticed men and sisters who are with them on the field of battle.  Recently I watched a man who was being inducted into the Football Hall of Fame.  Accepting his award, he downplayed his accomplishments and gave credit to others.  Before all others he acknowledged God, his own journey of faith and Christ. He gave credit to his wife and children for their sacrifices.  He gave credit to his teammates, coaches from little league, high school, college and professionally. 

Early in my own business career, I realized how dependent I was on the work of those whom I supervised.  If they failed, I failed.  If they had all they needed to succeed, they would advance and if they advanced it would be noticed by their families, friends, and coworkers.  Their success gave hope to those who had lost hope.  The organization would become known as a good place to work, grow, and advance.  It was in raising the spirit, hope and dreams of others that drew others to desire to accomplish what they achieved. 

Faith is that way and Jesus today is talking to us through a parable.  He is reminding us to avoid the trap of self-delusion.  Our faith is in Christ and that faith should give us pause each day as we give thanks for His sacrifice.  It is a reminder of who we are and how we must live.  What we miss in the parable is understanding what pleases God. That one fact is the underpinning of the story.  It is not about position, wealth, how we dress, birthright, or status.  It is about what God sees in every person, created for a purpose.  We are not just born; we are created and destined to achieve something for tor the body of Christ.  Just like every soldier, every football player, every employee in a company or institution has a task to fulfill that makes the whole better. 

Early in my own spiritual journey, I admit there was a lack of understanding about the “Church as the body of Christ, a “people set apart” to be followers of Christ and builders of “the kingdom.”  That was, in my opinion, the job of the priests and nuns that gave their lives to the church. But something stirred within me that could not be quiet until, like Paul, I had my own encounter with Christ.  That encounter revealed more than Christ to me.  It revealed how easily we can fall into demanding seats at the head table.

The body of Christ teaching by Paul in his letter to the Corinthians (1 Cor.12) gives us insights into us as a community.  It is in our need for all to utilize our gifts that makes our parish vibrant, not who does what.  It is also in recognizing the importance of the insignificant parts of the body. That individual who we do not see because their service is invisible to us.  It is also in those who serve in humble ways and are mindful of the importance of raising the gifts of others.  We need those who wash, iron, and fold the linens used during the liturgy just as much as we need lectors. 

We need those who teach our children just as much as we need those who give spiritual direction or give spiritual talks.  The reality is in every parish the number of volunteers is a small minority of the congregation.  It is also a fact that some do serve to be notices, to be the number one family in the parish and seek positions of honor.  It is not humble to believe you have nothing to offer the community. That is denying you have not been given a gift for the common good as Paul stated.  It is also not good to take a position that the ministry you serve in does not have room for more individuals.  That is just saying your desire to serve is tainted with a desire to be noticed and not on building up the body of Christ. 

Perhaps this parable by Jesus is a reminder to honestly examine ourselves to determine if we are servants or have, we become dependent on the need to be seen as serving.  Are we those servants whom Jesus talked about expecting to be served after toiling in the field (Lk. 17:7-8).  Instead, more is demanded of that servant because in the end we are serving the King of Kings and do so without expecting anything.