A Swell Dinner

Psalm 75, 76 • Psalm 23, 27
Ecclus. 51:1-12 • Rev. 18:1-14 • Luke 14:1-11

There’s a lot of swelling going in today’s gospel reading. A swollen man suddenly appears just as Jesus is about to go to dinner on the sabbath with a bunch of lawyers and Pharisees. Did they set him up? Jesus heals the swollen man and before any of them can rebuke him for healing on the Sabbath, Jesus rebukes them by asking them if their child or an ox fell into a well on the sabbath would they not rescue them? They can’t answer Jesus without coming across as hypocritical. The lawyers and the Pharisees are silent (and maybe a bit deflated?)

As the men go in to seat themselves for dinner, those with (shall we say) swollen pride chose the places of honor and Jesus rebukes them again by advising them that they could be shamed and disgraced out of their seat by someone even more distinguished than they believe themselves to be.

Jesus heals a swollen body and swollen pride in this gospel reading.

Also, it’s nice to be reminded of the blessings of our Community Meals when Jesus says in verses 13-14: “When you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

Written by Kathy McGregor

Kathy is a grateful participant in Community Meals.