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Morning Meditation in the Season of Pentecost
September 15, 2025
Reading: Luke 14:15-24
One of the dinner guests, on hearing this, said to him, ‘Blessed is anyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!’ Then Jesus said to him, ‘Someone gave a great dinner and invited many. At the time for the dinner he sent his slave to say to those who had been invited, “Come; for everything is ready now.” But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, “I have bought a piece of land, and I must go out and see it; please accept my apologies.” Another said, “I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to try them out; please accept my apologies.” Another said, “I have just been married, and therefore I cannot come.” So the slave returned and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and said to his slave, “Go out at once into the streets and lanes of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.” And the slave said, “Sir, what you ordered has been done, and there is still room.” Then the master said to the slave, “Go out into the roads and lanes, and compel people to come in, so that my house may be filled. For I tell you, none of those who were invited will taste my dinner.” ‘
Meditation by Jeremy O’Neill
I wanted to write on this passage because it isn’t included in the Sunday lectionary, and I have been thinking about it ever since I preached on a subsequent passage that recalls this event. I would imagine that many of us could relate to the disappointment of not having people turn down our invitations, but this passage is about much more than our social expectations.
With the exception of the newlywed, everyone is distracted by their own personal property: new oxen, land. Though these specific distractions might not be relatable to us, we might ask ourselves if caring for our personal property is distracting us from more important matters. It is helpful to consider these words in conjunction with the following verses in which Jesus mentions the true cost of discipleship to the crowd and says that to truly follow him they must give up all of their possessions.
In our modern world, property is a form of power. Those who own or control large amounts of property also have power over people. Those who do not own property are often described as “powerless” in political or economic discussions. But the Gospels consistently undo our worldly expectations of power. For it is not the politically powerful who get a seat at this great feast, but those whom society has passed over.
As is often the case, Christ is present in/at that feast. Furthermore, when the host in this parable proclaims “go out at once into the streets and lanes of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame” there is almost a musical quality to it. It is a great song of the undoing of worldly expectations and structures in favor of God’s great righteousness. It is a song that offers a vision of the life to come wherein every high place is made low and the sorrowful are able to rejoice. Finally, it is a song that recalls Mary’s song from earlier in Luke’s Gospel, as she too proclaimed of a great undoing of existing orders: “He has brought down the powerful from their thrones and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty.”
Throughout history, powerful people have claimed a divine favor which justifies their position and indeed their policies. Passages like this not only call us to consider what we value and where our priorities lie, but also remind us that Christ stands with the marginalized of all generations. While we may not see the full fruits of this on this earth, we can pray for the consummation of a more equitable, joyful kingdom for future generations.
Prayer
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your Name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those
who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial,
and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours,
now and for ever. Amen.
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