Dinner Party! [Luke 14:1, 7-14 - Proper 17C]
The Rev. Jeremiah Williamson Luke 14:1, 7-14 Dinner Party! Sometimes in the Gospels Jesus is edgy and sometimes Jesus is all about dinner party etiquette, apparently. Today, Jesus dispenses critical advice to those hoping to make a splash at their next big social outing. If you just follow his simple advice you too could have the tremendous privilege of being publicly honored, vindicated before some of society’s finest. If getting to the head of the table is your goal, Jesus, toucher of lepers, friend of fishermen, celebrated for his Sermon on the Mount, has a plan that just might get you to the head of the table. Or maybe Jesus isn’t that interested in etiquette at all; maybe he just showed up late to this party and the only seat left was the worst seat in the house and this was a not-so-subtle hint for the host to move him up to a better seat. What Jesus is doing in today’s Gospel seems rather pedestrian. He is eating a meal. T...