Quick Summary:

Jesus spends a lot of time at dinner tables in Luke’s gospel.
And when we look carefully we see that something significant always seems to happen.

As we listen in on today's story what we’re really hearing is a description of the inclusive Meal Jesus himself instituted; the Meal that’s at the center of our life together.

Using Sara Miles' book TAKE THIS BREAD, and the recent blessing of a TOTEM POLE carved by Lummi Tribal members, this sermon concludes that when Jesus holds a mirror to our patterns of exclusivity, we begin to recognize that when we limit our invitations to people like ourselves, we cut ourselves off from something sacred, we cut ourselves off from the reign of God. The way forward isn’t to strive toward perfection but to receive the gift of Christ's complete acceptance in the most dismal territories of our own souls.