Commentary on the Gospel of
One can only imagine the messiness and utter chaos at the royal banquet Jesus describes! The poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame are not the original invitees. Hence, they are not at all prepared for the honor. They are brought in just as they are—in their rags, with their begging bowls and their walking staffs. They may not smell very good, nor are they familiar with the kind of behavior expected at such banquets. The blind may bump into the lame, and the crippled may stumble on to the leper. To add to it all, the master wants his banquet hall to be packed to its capacity; hence, more people are still being brought in! However, one thing is certain: Over and above all such disorder, there will be much joy and delight, and the hall must be bursting with ripples of laughter and singing!
If we expect the Kingdom of God to be like the first-class lounge in an airplane, we may be mistaken. Kingdom is where God’s people are; and God invites everyone just as they are. Better practice being in the Kingdom by rubbing our shoulders here on earth with the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. Paul gives us some very practical suggestions for being one body with others. We better listen to him.
Paulson Veliyannoor, CMF
frpaulson@gmail.com
