Those
who believe there is one God who made all things and who governs the world by
this providence will make many choices different from those who do not. Those
who hold in reverence that being who gave them life and worship Him through
adoration, prayer, and thanksgiving will make choices different from those who
do not. Those who believe that mankind are all of a family and that the most
acceptable service of God is doing good to man will make many choices different
from those who do not. Those who believe in a future state in which all that is
wrong here will be made right will make many choices different from those who
do not. Those who subscribe to the morals of Jesus will make many choices
different from those who do not. - Benjamin
Franklin, the Art of
Virtue: His Formula for Successful Living
Gospel
Text: (LK 14:15-24)
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 the dinner came,
he dispatched his servant to say to those invited,
'Come, everything is now ready.'
But one by one, they all began to excuse themselves.
The first said to him,
'I have purchased a field and must go to examine it;
I ask you, consider me excused.'
And another said, 'I have purchased five yoke of oxen
and am on my way to evaluate them;
I ask you, consider me excused.'
And 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 town
and bring in here the poor and 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.'"
"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 the dinner came,
he dispatched his servant to say to those invited,
'Come, everything is now ready.'
But one by one, they all began to excuse themselves.
The first said to him,
'I have purchased a field and must go to examine it;
I ask you, consider me excused.'
And another said, 'I have purchased five yoke of oxen
and am on my way to evaluate them;
I ask you, consider me excused.'
And 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 town
and bring in here the poor and 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.'"
The king has planned a great
feast. Invitations are sent. The lowly heed the call and show
up. They know they need help; they have learned to listen. Others
are too busy to celebrate. They send in excuses and retire to their own
affairs. But now is the time to wake up. We are alive.
Let us come together while there is time.
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