In the Gospel according to Matthew, Jesus tells a story about a king who invites his so-called friends to a banquet. But they decline for one reason or another. So, the king says: forget these fair-weather friends, and go out and invite whom you find.
Yes, God
invites to the banquet of eternal life all people. Still they have to
be "clothed" in a right relationship with God. As Pope Francis writes in his new letter
“Fratelli Tutti” (brothers and sisters all), Jesus asks us that we “become
neighbors to all,” and not simply decide who is our neighbor.
“Food for thought.” It's amazing how a meal can bring
people together. Think of the wonderful things that often take place at our
tables. Families celebrate important transitions—birthdays, graduations,
etc.—around a table.
Some of you may have seen the classic movie “Babette's Feast.” It was an academy award winner. It's also a favorite film of Pope Francis.
Babette, a French chef, finds herself in a small town where its strict and puritanical religiosity makes people hard and judgmental, afraid to enjoy anything or anyone. Babette unexpectedly wins a lottery and spends all her winnings to prepare a huge, delectable feast for the townspeople. As they begin to taste and enjoy the meal, they start to communicate good-naturedly. They even dance! The meal transforms them into warm-hearted human beings.
Babette models self-giving, and elicits joy in people, a
foretaste of heaven. The toast at the end captures why, I think, Pope Francis
likes the movie. Here's a paraphrase of the toast:
“There comes a time when your eyes are opened. And we come to realize…that mercy is infinite. We need only await it with confidence…and receive it with gratitude.”
As I reflected I thought of family relationships.
Happy families have a good, solid sense of togetherness. They care about one another. They keep in touch; they’re hospitable, concerned about elderly relatives and youngsters.
They celebrate milestones together like baptisms, birthdays, confirmations, graduations, marriages and anniversaries. They take responsibility for chores; they set times for meals where they share good news as well as not so good. They keep their word, and thereby build up trust in their relationships.
Notably, they know how to distinguish behavior from judgments about a person. Avoid negative name-calling that undermines a relationship. In the end, we may agree to disagree. That's okay.
The following recipe will help sustain relationships:
Take time to think…it's the source of power. Read…it's the fountain of wisdom. Pray…it's the greatest power on earth. Love and be loved…it's a God-given privilege. Laugh…it’s the muse of the soul. Work...it's the price of success.
And do good things for others…it's the road to happiness and the key to the heavenly banquet.
