Scripture:
Philippians 2:1-4
Luke 14:12-14
Reflection:
"When you hold a lunch or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or sisters or your relatives or your wealthy neighbors, in case they may invite you back and you have repayment. Rather, when you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind" Luke 14: 11-13
In the first reading today we are invited to be one in spirit with our brothers and sisters and to humbly regard others as more important than ourselves. Here is one example of how we can do that.
We know a family who for years on Thanksgiving morning had a special breakfast. They didn’t invite their close friends, rather, they invited the people at church they had met who didn’t have family in the area or who didn’t have family at all. What a glorious mix of humanity they found at their table each year and how blessed they all were sharing that morning of food and fellowship together.
What a simple way to do as the scriptures tell us today and glorify God by cultivating generous, humble hearts open to the least of our brethren. Thank you God for inspirations such as these to help us walk more closely with You.
Janice Carleton and her husband Jim live in Portland, OR and partner with Passionist Fr. Cedric Pisegna in Fr. Cedric Ministries. She is the mother of 4 grown children and grandmother of 6. Janice also leads women’s retreats and recently wrote her first book: God Speaks to Ordinary People – Like You and Me. Visit Janice’s website at http://www.janicecarleton.com/ or email her at [email protected].