Invited and inviting—that is the nature of the church. In the gospel reading Jesus takes the time to pass on some ancient-yet-prudent wisdom from the proverbs of Solomon to a crowd of social climbers who obviously were not familiar with such prudence or wisdom. He tells the host to invite those who could not repay him to his banquets. More significantly Jesus lifts up the mysteriously gracious and life-transforming values of the kingdom of God. Jesus lifts up the humility required to take the lowest seat at the table, never hoping to be invited to a place of greater honor or status. Jesus invites his followers to practice the hospitality
that offers a banquet of the finest of foods for people who cannot repay. By God’s grace in holy baptism we have a place at Christ’s banquet table. Join us this Sunday as Pastor Armin reminds us that by the power of that same Spirit, humility and mutual love continue among us, the church can imitate God’s hospitality.
