Today’s Gospel takes place at a dinner table, even as most of our Sunday worship takes place at the Lord’s Table.  Here, at the table, Jesus teaches about hospitality.  It is also a lesson on humility.  Jesus makes it clear: hospitality is not simply to be shown to those who we like, or is it to promote reciprocation.  Hospitality is to be shown to everyone, especially to the least and the lowest of our sisters and brothers, “the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind.”  We also have a lot to learn about what Jesus meant by humility.

Humility does not mean that we should diminish the gifts and graces God has given us, as being less than the gifts and graces God has given to others.  Humility is not about having a low self-esteem.  No one should diminish the gifts and graces that God gives…  As St. Paul stated:  “We have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit that is from God, so that we may understand the gifts bestowed on us by God.”  (1 Corinthians 2:12).

Neither does humility require us to compare our gifts with the gifts of our neighbor; otherwise, as St. Thomas taught, we would be consumed with the question of whether we are a greater sinner or a greater fool than our neighbor.  We are, however, called to discover the good that is in our neighbor, so that, whenever we serve our neighbor, out of humility, it is not done in a way that compares our gifts with our neighbor’s gifts.  We do not serve our neighbor because they are inferior, nor do we serve our neighbor because they are superior.  We serve our neighbor because this is the path we have chosen, the path of the Way of Jesus.

Our Christian Community ideally should model humility and hospitality, as we serve one another, and as we seek to serve the world, building one another up.  But the world, and even our religious communities, work on the basis of mutual invitation.  I’ll invite you because I know that you will invite me.  Methodists invite Methodists.  Lutherans invite Lutherans.  Episcopalians invite Episcopalians.  Buddhists invite Buddhists.  Hindus invite Hindus.  As long as we conduct ourselves in this way, both intellectually and spiritually, we will live comfortably.  We will never be challenged, never really stretched.  This is the 50/50 arrangement.  Jesus is not so enthusiastic about our comfort.  The real meaning of hospitality is found in inviting someone who will not repay you, someone who is unfamiliar to you.  Christian hospitality should include the practice of humility, “looking for the good that is in our neighbor.”  That is why Jesus invites all of us, from all cultures and lifestyles, to the great feast.  It is a feast for which none of us can repay.  It is a feast prepared with a loving spirit of hospitality, and a spirit of perfect humility.  That is why the communion table should be open.

So, instead of inviting only our friends, only our kinfolk, or the neighbors that we have a lot in common with, we are called to include “those who are different from us,” really different from us.  If we are to be a church with open hearts, open doors, and open minds; if we are to practice the spirit of hospitality and humility that Jesus professed; then we will need to stretch ourselves.  We will need to encourage one another to move beyond our comfort levels, and practice Christian humility.  We will need to recognize and encourage the good in the wealthy and the good in the poor alike; the good in the straight and the good in the gay alike; the good in the conservative and the good in the liberal alike. 

Schools and hospitals should be run with this in mind, especially to include the poor and disadvantaged who cannot pay the fees.  We should never have second-rate schools, or special/advanced schools for the privileged.  Teachers, parents, and administrators should model for and encourage their students to welcome even the oddest child into the games on the playground and safe environment of learning in the classroom. 

We need to get past our objectives to be comfortable.  We need to tear down the walls that separate us, as Jesus proclaimed in Luke 6:32-36:  “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you?  For even sinners love those who love them.  And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you?  For even sinners do the same. . .  But love your enemies, and do good, and lend expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great. . .  Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.”  (Luke 6:32-36)

There really is no greater gift that the Christian community, the Body of Christ, can offer the world than this gift of hospitality and humility.