WHICH PLACE?

The wedding banquet in this Sunday’s Gospel story is a beautiful metaphor for the banquet of life, to which the Father has called each of us by creating us. Jesus’ suggestion, which comes from his own experience, is not deliberately to put ourselves in first place—that is, not to decide for ourselves alone what place to occupy. We must be free from the rank to which we aspire, from the prestige we would like to obtain, from the high rank we would prefer. In the banquet of life, we must not waste time seeking first place: in the family, in the community, in the Church, at work, in sports, in culture, in the political or religious hierarchy. But it is not enough. It is also necessary not to continually force ourselves to seek a place (perhaps the first, here too) in the hearts of others, to want to possess their will with fear, with violence, with blackmail, with jealous possession—and not even by trying to become indispensable. Why? Simple: everything we do to put ourselves in first place will act sooner or later on an internal and psychological level causing the mind to identify with that search, with that effort, with that tension. And then we risk depersonalizing ourselves and identifying with what is sought. Ambition is a kind of self-destruction; it pulverizes the divine image in man. Ambition, although it can lead to high positions, remains impotent; ineffective even if productive; useless even if skilled. Life itself will forcibly invite us, through facts and events, and perhaps even in abrupt and strong ways, to leave, to give up our position to someone with more dignity, all because we have allowed ourselves only to be ambitious, and not to live. What place then should we occupy? The last, that is, our own. And in that place, intelligently to do our little part, with passion, dedication, and without wanting at all costs recognition, approval, success and achievement. And when the one who invited us to this banquet arrives, he will say to us: “Friend, come up higher”.

Commentary by b. Sandro Carotta, osb
Abbazia di Praglia (Italy)

Translation by f. Mark Hargreaves,
Prinknash Abbey