A Sweet Spiritual Blessing

A large crowd had gathered near a pond in a large zoo. They watched admiringly as a peacock slowly spread its great tail and displayed its stunning plumage. The great bird stood erect and noble and strutted regally. Just then an old, gray duck waddled slowly from the pond and passed between the proud peacock and the admiring crowd. Enraged, the peacock drove the duck back to the water. Immediately, the beautiful bird had become ugly with fierce anger. The plain and awkward duck, having returned to its natural habitat, was no longer unbecoming. In the water it swam and dived gracefully, unaware that many eyes were watching. The people who had admired the proud peacock now loved the duck.1

In today’s Gospel Lesson, Our Lord is having dinner with other invited guests in the home of a leading Pharisee. Here we have a beautiful picture of Jesus’ full humanity. He does what we all do in such circumstances. He engages in plain, ordinary…