ELEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY, 28th August 2022: PROVERBS 25:6-7, HEBREWS 13:1-8,15-16, LUKE 14 :1,7-14

Deacon Chris Saccali – St Paul’s Athens

THE INVITATION

I speak in the name of the Triune God Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

It was the invitations that were NOT issued that were the issue; it often is if you think about it, people get miffed if they are not invited to an event. I am speaking, in this instance, about the Lambeth Conference which took place in Canterbury from July 24th until 7th August. This gathering of Anglican Bishops from across the Communion , their spouses and observers last took place in 2008 and was postponed in 2018 then interrupted by COVID. 

This time there were over 650 Bishops and many more women than in 2008 made up that number. They were invited – the problem for many lay in the word spouse if the Bishop was in a same sex relationship; this caused quite a brouhaha as I Before the Lambeth Conference when we were asked to pray, I did just that – asked people to pray. A nasty comment was posted about the spouses NOT invited from the LGBTQ + community from a member of it who is a priest in our diocese. I did not react because I do not relish conflict but I do know it is impossible to avoid it especially in church.  Jesus was always right there teaching in the midst of conflict, at the centre and heart of it although I am not sure of his tweets and posts. Last week’s gospel reading and today’s echo his reaction to conflict.

However, social media is not the place to get irate or aerated while hiding behind postings. The Lambeth Conference, despite all the negative hype intended to hijack it, was a real blessing to the attendees and a time filled with the Holy Spirit and the unexpected presence of God. Listen to Bishops Robert and David talking about it on the Diocesan website. There are also other astute clips on most Diocesan websites including Norwich which I have found helpful. 

Let us, in the light of the Lambeth Conference and thinking about hospitality and the welcome the church offers, turn to the lectionary offerings for today. In this central section of Luke’s gospel where we find ourselves it feels as though Jesus is in a first century reality show. Everything he says or does is being closely scrutinised, sifted, commented on and grafted into people’s fantasies and distorted, a bit like social media. This is the third account of a dinner party and eating with the Pharisees in Luke and comes in the midst of debate about the Sabbath in the midst of these verses Jesus heals a man .

How does Jesus deal with this? By turning everything on its head and answering in parables with everyday illustrative stories. Except they pack a punch. We heard the one about the barns in response to an innocent question about inheritance a few weeks ago and how complacency, greed and lack of awareness and priorities are misplaced in the light of God and His Kingdom. 

This is a story within a story and a banquet within a dinner invitation. Here we hear about Kingdom table manners and learn more again about God’s ways. God is the host with the most, the bridegroom inviting everyone to the reception. This may not be to our liking if we expect to be on the top table and be given special treatment. 

We heard one of the shortest lectionary readings from the Book of Proverbs which illustrates this point.  ‘ Do not put yourself forward in the king’s presence or stand in the presence of the great; for it is better to be told Come up here than to be put lower in the presence of a noble.’   What kind of guest are we? Do we use calculating strategies as to where we sit with another agenda in mind? Humility is important but too much can be obsequious and another way of drawing attention to ourselves, much like rushing to the first seats. We are told Jesus observed παρατηρομενο and noticed the behaviour of the Pharisees etc before he told this parable. As he himself had been observed and criticised. We are being observed, not judged as yet but we need to be aware of our own behaviour and expectations and match them to God’s.The last shall be first and the first shall be last. 

This is a sitting story so if you are sitting comfortably then I’ll begin, in the words of Listen with Mother from an old children’s programme in the UK. But be warned this story does not make for comfortable listening then or now.

In first century Palestine, the seating arrangements were rather different, this was an honour and shame culture which was male dominated. Guests reclined on couches, head and body nearer the table and feet, considered the most unclean part, away from the table. And remember we are dealing with the Messiah, the footwasher here, the scandalous one who felt no shame and despised man-made honour. People might share a couch so if you were lying on a couch near the top table being asked to shift down was very embarrassing and left you feeling shamed. Far better, says Jesus, to take a couch at the back and if you were moved up that was a bonus. 

But the real punch line comes in the last few verses. Now imagine you are host and issuing the invites, who do you invite, surely those who will return the invitation? Not in God’s world and Kingdom though, in fact here you do not need an invitation, place name setting or to RSVP because the host will come out and find the guests and they will be unexpected, you never know who you will find next to you. How do we feel about that radical turnabout?

Perhaps the answer lies in the Hebrews reading from the last chapter, the last one from this epistle. This version is from the Message: ’ Stay on good terms with each other, held together by love. Be ready with a meal or a bed when it’s needed. Why some have extended hospitality to angels without knowing  it (unawares).  ‘The Greek says inadvertently or by mistake’.

This talk of angels puts me in mind of Rublev’s icon of the Trinity which we looked at a few weeks ago. I think that COVID has somewhat shifted  traditional filoxenia or entertaining strangers but I bear in mind what a dear Greek friend said to me when I was being entertained at his house recently. ‘ I always support the underdog and I see that in nature.’ He has a smallholding with animals. Would that social media took the same stance, it seems to be more about shaming others and honouring one’s own status and appearance. 

So how can we extend hospitality as a church in these times when society places value on power and privilege? We can invite people to Back to Church Sunday or Harvest festival and other events. In my humble and honest opinion, the church can be a showcase for public events like the huge funeral held here this week and the Thanksgiving for the life and contribution of Sasha to be held in September. 

As we work out how to meet, greet, eat and heat this winter the church can be at the heart of this debate inviting all people in without exception to join the feast at the table.  And who knows we may find ourselves entertaining angels ?

AMEN