Sunday Within The Octaves Of Corpus Christi Day Which Is Accounted The Second Sunday After Pentecost The Gospel Luc.14.v.16 Tuesday Meditation

GIOTTO di Bondone 
No. 29 Scenes from the Life of Christ: 13. Last Supper (before restoration) 
1304-06

GOSPEL Luke 14:16-24 
At that time, Jesus spoke to the Pharisees this parable: "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.' "
Tuesday Meditation

A Certain man made a great supper &c. Where God would express his furry, I say his anger and indignation, rigour,and the like (whereas none of these passions are in him who is immovable, but only the effects of them, where and when his wisdom, and providence require it) he will call himself by the name of a Tiger, a Bear, a Lion, or the like,as he doth by the mouth of the Prophet Osee, in these words: I will be unto them as a Lioness, as a Leopard in the way of the Assyrians; I will meet them like a bear, that hath lost her whelps, and I will break the innermost part of their liver, and will destroy them like a Lion; the beasts of the field shall tear them in pieces.

But when he would express his love, and goodness, he will call himself a man, as here, A certain man made a great supper, and in divers other places of holy Scripture the like, to signify his humanity and courtesy unto us.

St Paul sayth of Christ,his Incarnation,and Manhood,which he took upon him to redeem man; The humanity (or courtesy) of Christ appeared to us therein.

And as it appeared in his Incarnation and manhood,united to his Godhead,whereby he did as it were,embrace us, and kiss us with a kiss of his mouth,conversing with men here on earth as a companion: so it appeared no less, but rather more in ordaining the Blessed Sacrament by way of a banquet or feast, wherein men use to show their love in most familiar & courteous manner that may be, conversing & recreating together in the most affable,and pleasing manner, they can.

If a great man,out of his love toa poor man, would make him a great feast,but not vouchsafe to be at it himself in regard of his meanness,it were liberality but not courtesy, or at least nothing so great a courtesy as if he would also vouchsafe him his presence and society.

The man Christ Jesus called in this parable for his courtesy (a certain man,that is to say a certain courteous man) did not only feast us being infinitely inferior to him, by uniting our flesh to his sacred divinity,and having effected what he came for, to wit our redemption, ascend into heaven and leave us at his heavenly banquet here on earth, which yet had been an infinite liberality if he had done no more: but he vouchsafe us his presence in the feast of the Blessed Sacrament also, as a companion in all our peregrination of this life: nay which is more, himself is our feast, and feast maker, & taketh such delight in our feasting with him, that he accounted it as if we feasted him. So he telleth us in these word: Behold (sayeth he) I stand at the door of your hearts, and knock, If any man let me in, to wit by receiving me in the Blessed Sacrament, I will supp with him, and he with me, that is to say, I will esteem it as if he did feast me, as well as I him.

Where it is to be noted, that he sayth not first, he shall supp with me, but first, I will supp with him, and then, he with me; as though he did rather or more principally supp with us, then we with him.

This courtesy maketh the feast of the Blessed Sacrament much the greater.

Here therefore we may say with St Paul,not only the liberality of Christ appeareth, in making us so great a feast,but his courtesy and humanity, in doing it in that manner, that we may have access to him, when we will.

In regard whereof the parable sayeth,A certain man, that is to say, the son of God,who made himself man for our sake,a most courteous man,and in most courteous manner,made a great Supper,unto men: wherefore let us not be so uncourteous, as to refuse to come unto it,when due times,holy customs,and occasions invite us,especially upon great festival says,that thereby they may be to us festival says indeed.

A Plaine Path-way To Heaven Thomas Hill 1634


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