The Word God Spells

Luke 5: 27-32
Is 58:9-14 / Ps 86

Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them.
(Luke 5:29)

May you hear His call for you today,
That you may find life’s true freedom;
Like Levi when he heard Him say,
"Come", and be a part of God’s kingdom.

Jesus was going about and saw a tax collector, named Levi, sitting at the tax office. He said to him, “Follow me.” Mesmerized, Levi left everything, and followed Jesus. Then he prepared a big party to honor the Lord in his house. He wanted the whole world to know about his newfound life, and perhaps even invite his old friends to encounter the same experience. The only fly in the ointment was the presence of the Pharisees and their scribes who murmured against his guests, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” But Jesus turned the tables on them, saying “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

Reflection

I’ve read or heard it said once that the two most effective tools of evangelization are a fork and a pen. The fork for breaking bread with your friend whom you would like to meet Jesus, and the pen (or email or SMS) for writing and spreading God’s Word. The image of a banquet or Jesus eating in the company of friends or followers is a very common scene in the Gospel narratives, and is even used by our Lord in many of His parables. An old saw, “The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach” can probably apply here too. In fact, throughout the generations of man, in almost all cultures, issues are resolved, contracts are signed, partnerships are sealed, and many are converted on the dining table. It is no coincidence that the Holy Mass is about a supper. Our Lord certainly enjoyed being invited to all of those banquets.

A portion of today’s first reading says: “If you make the Sabbath a delight, and the Lord’s holy day honorable… then you shall delight in the Lord, and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth…” (Isa.58:13-14) Saturday is always a special day for every BCBP* member, because it is the day when the Brotherhood gets together for a fellowship breakfast. It is a special breaking of the bread for us, because it is the entry point for our guests to become acquainted with the Brotherhood, and hopefully come into an intimate fellowship with our Lord. We invite businessmen or professionals, doctors or tax collectors, and in many cases the unlikeliest of guests turn out to be the more committed bearers of the Good News. During the breakfast fellowship, we hear a brother, sister or couple give testimony on how Jesus came into their lives and told them to “Come, follow me.”

How true another adage that says, “The pen is mightier than the sword.” I may not be able to invite a guest regularly to our BCBP breakfasts, but with the Holy Spirit’s inspiration and guidance, I thank God for being able to pen a Gospel reflection daily, driven by a passion that Levi must have felt when he decided to follow Jesus.

Lord Jesus, we desire to be ambassadors of your love by inviting those whose hearts are still hungry to Your dining table. Fill them with your Divine Presence, Lord, and nourish them with Your Word, as You have done so in our lives. Amen.

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* Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen and Professionals