At a dinner invitation, Jesus noticed guests vying for seats of honor. He used this to encourage them to continue offering hospitality to relatives, but joyfully expand to include the less fortunate, who are loved by God, but often overlooked in our hearts.
Don’t always invite relatives, friends, brothers, or neighbors (four groups of the warm circle of care, the joyful map of happiness, all beautiful), because everything may ultimately settle into a deceptive balance of give and take.
Instead, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind: four steps that take you beyond “my circle” and “self-interest,” into the realm of gratuitousness.
Welcome those whom no one else accepts; create a table for the needy. This unconventional idea reflects a God who loves without limits. He brings light into dark lives, imparting compassion and warmth.
An invitation to the forgotten is deeply significant for those trapped in utility and self-interest. Jesus teaches us that we are blessed when we receive them with joy, procuring their well-being, without expecting anything in return.
In life, we may be tempted by three harmful actions, which we can call “cursed” verbs: to take, to climb, and dominate. Yet, Jesus offers us three blessed actions that inspire goodness: to give, to be unpretentious, and to serve.
The highest calling of every existence is to offer life, dignity, and joy, even if it’s a sacrifice; rejoice, they will glimpse the face and demeanor of Christ in you.