Marriage announcement between Dauphin Louis (future Louis XVI) and Marie Antoinette of Austria, from 1770,
Hand-coloured print,
Issued 1770
© Versailles Library Archives
Marriage announcement between Dauphin Louis (future Louis XVI) and Marie Antoinette of Austria, from 1770,
Hand-coloured print,
Issued 1770
© Versailles Library Archives
There was a man who invited a large number of people
Luke 14:15-24
One of those gathered round the table said to Jesus, ‘Happy the man who will be at the feast in the kingdom of God!’ But he said to him, ‘There was a man who gave a great banquet, and he invited a large number of people. When the time for the banquet came, he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, “Come along: everything is ready now.” But all alike started to make excuses. The first said, “I have bought a piece of land and must go and see it. Please accept my apologies.” Another said, “I have bought five yoke of oxen and am on my way to try them out. Please accept my apologies.” Yet another said, “I have just got married and so am unable to come.”
‘The servant returned and reported this to his master. Then the householder, in a rage, said to his servant, “Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in here the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.” “Sir” said the servant “your orders have been carried out and there is still room.” Then the master said to his servant, “Go to the open roads and the hedgerows and force people to come in to make sure my house is full; because, I tell you, not one of those who were invited shall have a taste of my banquet.”’
Reflection on the print invitation
In the gospels, especially in Luke’s gospel, Jesus is very often found at table--a gathering place for family, friends, and also where important business can be discussed. In our Gospel reading today Jesus is guest at a meal hosted by a leading Pharisee at which other Pharisees and experts in the Jewish law were present. One of the guests utters a beatitude, ‘Happy the man who will be at the feast in the kingdom of God!’. Jesus replies by speaking a parable. Whereas the beatitude refers to a great feast in the future, Jesus’ parable is about a feast to which invitations have already been sent out! Jesus shifts the focus of people’s attention from the future to the present. The invitations have already gone out. How will we respond?
And these invitations have gone out to everyone… even those who usually never get invited to nothing.
The parable is a reminder for us to be attentive to the Lord’s invitation in the present moment and not to push our response into the future (‘Oh, one day I will do that’; ‘When this current situation is sorted out, then I will give the Lord my time…’).
Our artwork today is a marriage announcement and invitation to the wedding of Dauphin Louis (future Louis XVI) and Marie Antoinette of Austria, from 1770. The arranged marriage sealed the alliance between France and Austria, two countries that used to be rivals and enemies. The invitation we get from God is incalculably more lavish and generous than any royal feast we can be invited to. Jesus is asking in today's reading for us to accept the invitation, and simply respond 'yes'.
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I have the invitation to the heavenly feast hanging on the wall. It has a really cool image of “His” hands and a long table. The frame invites us to dine with our Host, Jesus, and to put our trust in Him and what He has for us.
‘But as it is written, no eye hath seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which have been prepared by God for them who love him’. 1 Corinthians 2:9.
I am intrigued by your picture Izzy – any chance of giving us a glimpse!
‘Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb.’ Revelation 19:9
Heavenly Father God,
I do most humbly beseech thee
that you will alter the steps of myself and of Izzy and all of those who love You,
so that we may receive this Invitation above all price on earth and in heaven,
Grant that we may serve you all the days of our lives,
In the name above all names,
Your Beloved Son, Our Saviour and Redeemer of the World Lord Jesus the Christ,
and the Sacred Holy Spirit
Amen
Para mi el Cielo no es un lugar físico, es un estado, otra dimensión después de la muerte. Viviremos con Dios y tendremos una experiencia completa de Dios. Seguiremos teniendo conciencia de nosotros mismos y recuerdos de nuestra vida en la tierra. Nos reuniremos con nuestros seres queridos y reiremos, amaremos y creceremos a nivel ético, intelectual y espiritual. Aunque ya no tendremos cuerpos físicos, tengo la esperanza de que seremos reconocibles. Esta vida, a pesar de sus tristezas, a veces nos revela presentimientos de la vida en el Cielo, que será como la vida que tenemos pero perfecta
Well that’s interesting Elvira. You may be right but we don’t really know do we? The next life has been kept a mystery by our Lord. 🤷🏼♂️
Si, es un misterio. Pero me gusta creer en algo razonable. ya sé que la fe no es racional. El único resucitado es Jesús y la experiencia que tuvieron los discípulos de su resurrección puede ser compatible con lo que yo siento ¿no te parece?
Sí lo que usted cree es razonable. 😊
Goodbye Janey. I like your thinking. Our world right now could be a Garden of Eden if all the nasty stuff disappeared. Imagine night walking in the summer when the full moon is out and seeing badgers and deer out and about accompanied by nightingales! I’ve always wanted to do that…
En el evangelio de hoy participan en el banquete del Reino todos los que aceptan la invitación y actúan en consecuencia . Pero sabemos que los que seguían a Jesús eran los sencillos, los humildes…, quizás si somos así aceptaremos su oferta de salvación. Los sabios , los que no tienen dudas, los seguros de si mismos, no suelen escuchar porque no tienen necesidad de salvación
Me siento feliz de haber sido llamada
Well said Christine GN. We are made is His image and likeness.
Well the other species of humans probably had language skills, they buried their dead, they had rituals that we could call religion, we even have the DNA of a few of them.
Watch watch UNKNOWN cave of bones on Netflix. This is a pre human creature which also buried its dead and had some rituals.
😴
You should watch it it’s an interesting documentary
Regarding the priest saying that animals have souls, we mustn’t forget that we are an animal, just an advanced primate.
On that note will the other, now extinct, eight species of humans be invited?
It is certainly arrogant for us to believe that the whole universe was created by God just for our benefit.
We are an advanced primate but we are also Human with all that entails. We have been endowed with an immortal soul at some stage in humanity’s evolution. We are not super intelligent apes. 🐵
Well said Charles.
“ We are not super intelligent apes” Apes or not, you only need to look at world affairs to see the lack of super intelligence.
Haha – good point Zeffi!
Good point but we are capable of the most wonderful things. Art for one, gorgeous music, heart stopping sculpture, magnificent buildings, heroism, deep love for our fellow humans far beyond anything that an animal could achieve. We are made in God’s image and we can make a very good effort to get close to that image!!!!
Yes, we are made in His image and Jesus Christ the First-born of all Creation.
Si, estoy de acuerdo, mi me parece que lo que nos distingue de los simios es precisamente el alma : el soplo divino , que Dios nos trasmitió en un momento dado y nos hizo humanos
Is that Socrates or Plato? I don’t see it in the New Testament
Surely it depends whenabouts Adam and Eve and Original sin fit in. If before humans speciated but after they became distinct from the other primates which became chimpanzees, then all needed Redemption. If only after Homo Sapiens became the remaining species, then only H. Sapiens needed saving.
This is very much a retrofitting of Evolution into Genesis, you can see the scrape marks.
For an exploration of how God might operate in a scenario with three distinct rational species, read “Out of the Silent Planet” by C.S. Lewis.
Thanks for recommendation.
Thanks for the info Zeffi- thes ethings are complex when you try to separate religion and science.
St. Athanasius said : “For the Son of God became man so that we might become God.”……….some say this can be an awkward translation from the original Greek …..He became man so we can be “partakers of the divine nature”.
Si, el Misterio de la Encarnación no es tanto que Dios se hizo Hombre, sino que el Hombre se hizo Dios
Very interesting Elvira. I agree.
Love that!
In our Theology class we learned all living things have souls but not immortal ones. A soul defines the type of life a living thing leads. It’s nature defines it’s difference from other living things. Only humans have immortal souls and we’re made in the image of God, so therefore we were never primates but our own unique beings.
If we look at evolution, it can be proved we were never primates as primates still exist. Why didn’t they either go extinct or progress right along with us, as survival of the fittest would imply? All other animals have remained on the same level.
No God separated us from all other species right from the beginning and that is why no other animal has attained what we have, not even close!
Can we lower our selves and behave like animals? Oh yes, we have seen it and sometimes experienced it in our darker moments.
And it is not arrogance that God created us different and in his image. He gave us dominion over the earth, not to abuse it, but to care for it and have both it, and us, reflect His glory and love for His creation.
How can we not say yes to His invitation to share in all He has prepared for us?
Well said and eloquently expressed Christine.
Wonderfully put Christine. I attempted something similar above but it wasn’t as coherent as yours or as well argued. Fantastic…🤩
In fact I’ve printed it off!
Yes Janey- if we do ourselves down we also diminish God who made us fro Himself.
Very well put SFG. When people refer to us as animals it’s annoying because we are SO far above them (if we want to be). Because some of us behave so badly and do wicked things doesn’t mean we are all at that level. That’s called arguing from the particular to the general in logic.
Agreed Janey M.
Yes. Even if the earth is rendered into a blasted heath we humans still have a reason to live and still have the mission that God entrusted to us. Love one another and while we’re here look after the beautiful earthly garden that He made for us!!
¡Por supuesto!
Thank you Janey.