A Taste of Righteous Living

Photo by Mark Hoggard

Different types of relationships are often revealed at meals. When the extended family gathers for a holiday, the children are often relegated to a "children's table" (in my family, it was several card tables in the garage), so the adults could catch up about adult things.

In this Sunday's gospel (Luke 14:1,7-14), Jesus - once again in a meal setting - challenges us to right relationships by using the two specific examples of not choosing for ourselves places of honor and not inviting only people in our lives who can return our favors. Like family conversations, his concern is beyond the immediate to what ultimately matters: a life of righteous living. It is only right relationships that lead to fulfilling our deepest longing presence at the everlasting wedding banquet.

At the Penitential Service held on the eve of the second gathering of the Synod on Synodality in October 2024, the petitions focused on the sins of the Church:

• Sin against peace

• Sin against creation, against indigenous populations, against migrants

• Sin of abuse

• Sin against women, family, youth

• Sin of using doctrine as stones to be hurled

• Sin against poverty

• Sin against synodality / lack of listening, communion, and participation of all

All of these are ultimately sins against right relationship. It is only right relationships that lead to fulfilling our deepest longing: presence at the everlasting wedding banquet.

Grabbing places of honor for ourselves can be as ordinary as pushing ahead of others in a grocery line, expecting special treatment at work or school, feeling entitled to having everything we want. Even in Church, it can be ignoring "the suffering of those around us, ...the faces of war-stricken terrorized children, weeping mothers, the shattered dreams of so many young people, refugees who face terrible journeys, the victims of climate change and social injustice" (Final Document, #2). Opening ourselves to a broader circle of relationships (those "outside the tent") can be as ordinary as having a conversation with a shy coworker, supporting those who are trying to make changes for the good, reaching out to those who are alone, in need, or marginalized. We are called as Church to "be poor with those who are poor, who often constitute the majority of the faithful, to listen to them, learning together how to recognize the charisms they receive from the Spirit," and " to recognize them as agents of evangelization" (Ibid, #19). These righteous ways of acting not only help the other, but also give us the satisfaction of deepening relationships - not only with others, but with the divine Host himself.