Monday of the
Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time
(Philippians 2:1-4; Luke 14:12-14)
In the gospels Jesus frequently speaks with hyperbolic language. That is, he exaggerates to convey his
message. For example, he says, “If your
hand causes you to sin, cut it off.” This
should not be taken literally. It is
wrong to do physical harm to a body member unless there is a commensurate reason
like saving one’s life. In another place
Jesus says that no one can be his disciple unless he or she hates his father
and mother. Here again he is not to be
taken literally. What about today’s
gospel? Are we not to invite friends to
the parties that we host?
Of course, it is all right to have parties with friends. The poor and the lame may also be invited,
but their presence may cause awkwardness for everyone involved. One might have special dinners for the poor
as some churches do weekly or monthly. Alternatively,
one may donate time or money to services that feed the poor daily.
Overall, Jesus insists that we live in solidarity with
the poor. Solidarity is not a vague
feeling of concern for the poor but a firm commitment of support. Nor is it sufficient to define poverty
loosely so that the poor are, for example, those who lack meaning in their
lives. No, we must give preferential
consideration to those who lack the basic necessities of life – food, medical
care, housing, etc. At the very least solidarity
compels us to respect the poor by shaking their hand and talking with them.