Foreign the Gospel for Tuesday of the 31st week in Ordinary Time is taken from Luke 14:24. One of those at table with Jesus said to him, blessed is the one who will dine in the kingdom of God. He replied to him, a man gave a great dinner, to which he invited many. When the time for dinner came, he despatched his servants to say to those invited, come, everything is now ready. But one by one they all began to excuse themselves. The verse said to him, I purchased a field and must go to examine it.

I ask you, consider me excused. Another said, I have purchased five yoke of oxen and am away to evaluate them. I ask you to consider me excused. Another said, I have just married a woman, and therefore I cannot come. The servant went and reported this to his master. Then the master of the house in a rage, commanded his servant, go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the towns and bring in here the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.

The servant reported, sir, your orders have been carried out, and still there is room. The master then ordered the servant, go out to the highways and hedgerows and make people come in that my home may be filled. For I tell you, none of those men who were invited will taste my dinner. You it’s interesting that Jesus is presenting everything that God is offering to people as a gift. He is the one pursuing them. He wants them to respond by coming to him.

And we see that in this gospel. And what’s interesting to me is those who were busy were examining or evaluating things that they might do and not taking the time to evaluate or examine what it is that God is offering them. It’s a kind of lack of interest, and it concerns God deeply. And he is telling people that when they don’t do that, they are losing something that God so desperately wants them to have that it makes him very, very upset, sad even, because they’re not looking at or examining the reality of the life God has called them to live. Satan Closing Prayer Father, open our eyes, open our hearts, our wills, our minds, so we can take in the most beautiful message that you’re giving us a way of life that we long for at the deepest level of who we are. Help us to be aware of ourselves and you and the kingdom.

You’re inviting us to help us to examine it and choose it freely. That’s what you will. And we ask this in Jesus name. Amen. Sam.