Our House is a movie on TV this afternoon starring Doris Roberts in a role slightly different from Ray Romano's mom. She is a filthy rich old lady who takes a bunch of homeless people into her Beverly Hills residence after one of them rescues her from suicide.
It's fantastic, of course, and by now formulaic, as such movies are, but it's a kind of parable. Its based on Jesus' parable about the wedding feast that the king first offers to the "respectable people" and when they spurn it, tells his lieutenants, " 'Go therefore to the thoroughfares, and invite to the marriage feast as many as you find.' And those servants went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good; so the wedding hall was filled with guests." (Mt. 22:9-10)
The Book of Bebb by Frederick Buechner is about the life of a weirdo preacher who, among other things, holds a "Love Feast" for the poor and homeless. It's an intriguing idea.
I'm not preaching any sermons. I confess that I don't minister much to the poor and homeless. I contribute a little to Salvation Army and of course, as those of you who read this, I try to afflict the comfortable more than comfort the afflicted with my harangues about tax cuts for the rich and all of that.
But literally feeding and housing and providing medical care to the less fortunate -- it's an intriguing idea.
Happy Thanksgiving and go with God.
2 comments:
My minister quoted Buechner in a sermon recently and mispronounced his name. He is so learned and erudite that I haven't had the nerve to correct him.
I'd like to hear a preacher who would quote Buechner, however he pronounced it. David Smook is the only padre I've known who was familiar with Buechner. Thanks for your comment. Glad somebody is reading this blog!
Post a Comment