Dinner with Levi

 

After Luke 5:27-32 

Despised by his fellows,

outcast for his collusion,

for his thievery, hated

by all for being unclean,

he sits there as he hears

the voice and sees 

the face. Follow me.

It wasn’t an option

or a choice. It wasn’t

(precisely) a command.

Instead, it was a call,

a transformation, so

startling that Levi

stands, abandons what

he’s doing, and follows.

 

Levi holds a feast,

inviting those who

associate with him,

people like himself, 

the unclean and

the despised.

The righteous grumble

when the prophet sits

and eats with the unclean.

I’m here to heal the sick,

he says. I’ve come to call

them to repent. 

 

Photograph by Cody Chan via Unsplash. Used with permission.

Some Sunday Readings

 

A Friend on the Trail of Tears: How a Baptist Missionary Became a Cherokee – Thomas Kidd at Desiring God. 

 

Sound of Freedom Director Announces New Movie Cabrini: It’s an Unbelievable Story’ – Michael Foust at Christian Headlines. 

 

Steps where Jesus walked and healed a blind man unearthed for first time in 2,000 years – Brianna Herlihy at Fox News.

Hearing the call

After Luke 14:12-24

I heard the call

to the feast and wow

what an opportunity 

what a great opportunity

let me check my calendar

on my phone, oh no

it’s packed, I had no idea

how scheduled I was, 

with events, things, stuff,

responsibilities, appointments,

meetings, conferences, gatherings,

luncheons, dinners, filled

with all the important things,

the things signifying importance,

so I have to say sorry, things to do,

places to go, people to see,

maybe next year

in Jerusalem.

Photograph by Tom Plouff via Unsplash. Used with permission.

RSVP no

After Luke 14:12-24

The feast prepared 

and ready, the call goes out 

to come to the beast, 

this would have been 

the second call, the first 

asking if people would come,

and this second call meets

excuses, no I’m too busy,

too many responsibilities,

too many things to take care of,

sorry my wife is calling

sorry I have other plans,

maybe next time. A third call

goes out, instead,

to the poor, the blind,

the crippled, the lame,

the sick, the dregs,

the ignored, the deplorables,

the pariahs, the uneducated,

t6he rubes, the rednecks,

and they come

and they feast.

Photograph by Ryoji Iwata via Unsplash. Used with permission. 

Laid upon a table

After John 10:1-18

Laid upon a table:

the food, the meal,

stretched across

the length of the room,

a feast, laid out,

a calling to the hungry.

He walks along the table,

seating the guests surprised

by his invitation,

his call to eat.

Photograph by Petr Kratochvil via Public Domain Pictures. Used with permission.