Homily for Monday of the 31st Week in Ordinary Time

In today's Gospel, a wealthy Pharisee invited Jesus to dinner. This was unusual because Pharisees usually ate only with like-minded friends. While there, Jesus suggests that his host should regularly invite to dinner people whom he would not usually invite, people who were outsiders, and those experiencing illness, hunger, and poverty.

In contrast to the Pharisees, Jesus regularly dined with various people, rich and poor alike, with the educated and uneducated, with the devout and outsiders, with men and with women.

The wide range of his dining companions was characteristic of his personality. No one was excluded from his presence. No one was excluded from His mission to preach the kingdom of God and His call for conversion to the ways of His Father. His purpose was to reveal God's generous welcome for everyone, particularly those who were considered outsiders.

By his authentic lifestyle, and notably by the company he kept, he echoed the wide hospitality of His Father. In contrast, the Pharisees envisioned a God who was exclusive rather than inclusive.

While we are called to that same hospitality, it is tempting to associate with only a small group of friends who share our attitudes and can return the favor. God calls us to broaden our circle and our compassion to be more like His Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ.