Trinity 2

In the readings for the second Sunday after Trinity, we are called into God’s feast. We are invited to feast on the wisdom of God – His Holy Word, Jesus, present in the Holy Sacraments and in the Scriptures. Christ came to preach peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. Like the giver of the feast in Jesus’ parable, God sends out His servants to invite everyone they can find, for the Master wants His feast to be full – God our Savior desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. When Jesus tells His story, it seems obvious that there’s no better place to be than at His banquet – but we are easily distracted by details and deceived by our own pride.
Some despise God’s invitation, choosing their own wisdom above His and going their own way. Let us acknowledge that we are spiritually poor, blind, and lame, and take advantage of the feast of wisdom God has laid before us. Then God’s love will shine through us as we love others not by our words, but by our actions, and in truth.
The Old Testament lesson is from the book of Proverbs, chapter 9, verses 1-10:
Wisdom has built her house;
    she has hewn her seven pillars.
She has slaughtered her beasts; she has mixed her wine;
    she has also set her table.
She has sent out her young women to call
    from the highest places in the town,
“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!”
    To him who lacks sense she says,
“Come, eat of my bread
    and drink of the wine I have mixed.
Leave your simple ways, and live,
    and walk in the way of insight.”
Whoever corrects a scoffer gets himself abuse,
    and he who reproves a wicked man incurs injury.
Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you;
    reprove a wise man, and he will love you.
Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser;
    teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
    and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.
The Epistle lesson is from 1 John, chapter 3, verses 13-18:
Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you. We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.
By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.
The Gospel for the Second Sunday after Trinity is from Luke, chapter 14, verses 16-24:
But he said to him, “A man once gave a great banquet and invited many. And at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ But they all alike began to make excuses.
The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.’ 
And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.’ 
And another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’ So the servant came and reported these things to his master.
Then the master of the house became angry and said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame.’ 
And the servant said, ‘Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.’ 
And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.’”