29/08/2010 - 22ND. SUNDAY IN ORDINARY SEASON - C
1Reading Eccl 3,17-18.20.28-29 Psalm 67 2Reading Heb 12,18-19.22-24 Gospel Lk 14,1.7-14
"Father, the world did not know you, but I have known you; these know that
you have sent me". Now, Jesus calls the Father "just". A Just person
is some one who does the will of the Father, who fulfills his plans. These are names
give to God meaning that he himself keeps his promises, fulfills his Word, is faithful
to his own love towards his creatures. It is part of this faithfulness to obey him
as the highest form of good and, on the contrary, disobedience as an evil: the justice
of God is therefore the highest good for those who love him and is fearful and scaring
for those who do not obey him or don't want to obey him. The Lord now trusts to
his Father his greatest pain and his deepest joy: "the world did not know you",
while on the other hand, "but I have known you". There is no greater joy
than being in communion with the Father, that is, in participating in his infinite
love. Jesus knew and knows the Father in the sense, that he shares his same desires:
he wants the salvation of all, hence is ready to fulfill his will. On the other
hand, there is no greater pain than seeing someone who is not able to appreciate
and share the love of God. With these, every kind of communion and understanding,
is not possible. For these, believers are strangers and with them one cannot have
any happy and peaceful contact. The one who does not "know" the Father
is "the world", which needs everything, needs salvation, light, peace,
the right and true dimension of life itself. The Father loved "the world"
to send his Son so that it is saved by him (Jn 3,16f). The world did not know the
Father because it didn't want to welcome and hence know the Son. Until the world
"knows" the Son, it is without hope, remains in the condemnation in which
Adam fell with his sin. The world is on a dead end road, without a future. Jesus
is not all alone in the "world", because his disciples who have come to
know him, believed that he is from God. Who believes in Jesus is already working
out his salvation.
The teachings of Jesus are not all new. He knew the Scriptures and lived them, so
that he could propose them with a certain newness, with images from normal daily
life, as he was seeing and living them carefully. What he is saying at table in
the house of one of the leaders of the Pharisees seems to be, at first hand, simple
a code of politeness. It's more than that. The most important meal is the messianic
one, that of the end of times. It is important that we put on an attitude of true
humility before God and before men. He is the only one who knows the dignity and
the merits of all. If I think that I'm better than others, any another one, I'm
worst that everybody, because it means that I don't keep in mind God's presence,
the only judge, and don't care for God's love, who being a Father, loves everybody
whatsoever. The Pharisees believed that they were the first in the kingdom of God,
and therefore they felt that they had the authority to judge and condemn all the
others. Jesus, politely, showed them that they are off side, and tried to teach
them how to be humble, which is indispensable to enter into the kingdom of heaven.
A second teaching, with regards to invitations, is that of gratuity. True love is
that which is similar to that of God, either the one that reflects it. Now God is
careful towards the poor, the defend less, the despised and those who suffer injustices.
Do you want to be appreciated by God? Do you want to be like him? Do you want to
love by his love and think with his mind? Do not try to do good to those who do
not need, do not give to those who already have enough, do not look at those who
are able to pay back your gifts. Let the meal you offer be an anticipation of the
reign of heaven by inviting those who are rejected by all. Love those who never
loved you, and heaven will be ready to welcome you!
The Reading from the Book of the Ecclesiastes is nice and clear: every affirmation
is applauded by all. In it, meekness and humility are exalted, while pride makes
one turn away his face. In her song, the Magnificat, Mary re echo this Reading,
and Jesus himself lived it with a particular commitment that he was able to say:
"Learn form me, that I'm meek and humble at heart". "Son, fulfill
your duties with meekness and you will be loved more than a generous man. The greater
you are, make yourself humble, and you will find grace before the Lord".
Meekness and humility allow us to enjoy the simple manifestations of God, who does
not reveal himself like in the old days with fearful sounds of thunder and trumpets,
but with peace and festive gathering, where his son, Jesus, is put in the center!
In conclusion we can say that today we are invited to await the reign of God with
humility and meekness: such we can change each and every family and nation and prepare
them for the one to come.