At yesterday’s Liturgy we commemorated the Ancestors of Christ – all those who through faithfulness and wisdom contribute to our understanding the whole story of the immanent Incarnation and our salvation. They have taught us, and we now invite them to join with us in our joyful expectation of the coming Incarnation.

Yesterday’s Gospel – Lk. 14.16-24 – is a curious juxtaposition with the tenor of the commemoration. Here the ones invited, the ones who are expected to enjoy the feast, withdraw, and are then replaced with others who are unknown to the host. “For, I tell you, none of those men who were invited will taste my dinner.” The feast was planned – the invitations went out weeks ago. Invited guests “knew” that they were coming, that they were expected; but who ends up at the table, those who had no idea a feast was prepared, who had no expectation of being invited, let alone attending.

We are faced, it seems, with a paradox, on the one hand a celebration of Israel and her contribution to our (Gentile) enlightenment; on the other, a rejection of Israel in favour of the Gentiles – who were never invited in the first place.