An Extended Invitation

The Parable of the Great Banquet

When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, "Blessed is the man who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God."

Jesus replied: "A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, 'Come, for everything is now ready.'

But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, 'I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.'

Another said, 'I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I'm on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.'

Still another said, 'I just got married, so I can't come.'

The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, 'Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.'

'Sir', the servant said, 'what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.'

Then the master told his servant, 'Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full. I tell you, not one of those men who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.'"

- Luke 14:15-24

Muttering under his breath; murmuring ever so discreetly; one might mistake my client's deep prayerfulness for the delusional symptoms of mental disorder. In fact, it took me a few months to recognize that he was talking to God, and not merely talking to himself - but there he was turning his heart to God in the secret place, naming his family members and loved ones (or whoever was impressed on his heart for the day) - persistently turning over those names again and again - surrendering them to the watchful care of "our Father". 

Though I understand little of what he's communicating to God, his constancy in prayer draws me into God's presence - communication in communion - praying as naturally and effortlessly as breathing: a breath of mystery. I've been given very little access into his secret conversations with God; though there are rare moments of lucidity and breakthrough. This morning he prayed with uncharacteristic directness and a not-too-subtle hint; "And Lord, I thank you for my birthday party today...". 

Oops! I had forgotten all about his birthday. At the end of the day I rushed to our local grocery store and picked up his very favourite cake: chocolate ice cream cake! Then too, I couldn't resist adding Cinderella (his favourite princess) birthday hats! He has a commemorative picture with every imaginable princess from his Disney Land trip; smiling ear-to-ear next to Princess Aurora, Ariel, Belle, Cinderella, Jasmine, etc. 

When we lit the candles and affectionately sang the birthday song - joyfully out of tune - we crowned him with his Cinderella birthday hat. He was so happy I thought he might burst; love spilling over into the lives of others. His prayer had been answered; "on earth as it is in heaven", after all, as any dead guy could tell you, heaven hosts a perfect party.  

I love birthday's now, ever since I began working with people with developmental disabilities. I'm not sure what I used to be so threatened by: aging, decay, death? Maybe I was just too full of self-importance to simply have fun with others and celebrate the good life of God? Perhaps, in part, that's why my prayer life is often dead too. 

The people I work with are always up for a party. They don't let self-preoccupation get in the way of celebrating our life together in community and communing in prayer. It's a rare occasion when they decline an invitation to a party or a prayer meeting. In fact, they so often are the life of the party and the first to make space for prayer.  "The poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame" are receptive to community celebration, meal sharing, feasting in the presence of God.

In Jesus' parable it was those the world has rendered "normal" with convenient "excuses" who missed out on the most important event of a lifetime: eternal life for those who respond to the freely offered invitation.