There is so much room!

How does this parable, (see below) relate to Step 2? How does this parable relate to "presence" and the "incarnational worldview" as Fr. Richard explains it?

I combined these two because they seem to feed into each other.

Have you ever noticed when you organize a get together you have to invite twice as many people as want because you know half of them will cancel last minute? The reasons for canceling vary, but I think a lot of the motivation for cancelling has to do with an obssesion, or really an addiction to needing others to think we are amazing for having such full lives. I know that's an overgeneralization, but my hearts says there is some validity to it. There's this sense that to be successful, seen, worthy, what have you, you need to fill your plate with so many things that eventually you can't really be present at any of them. When you're not present, you cannot fully enjoy the feast that the host has set.

When you cannot enjoy the bounty of hospitality, of good food, of relationship building, you become addicted to external things that in the long run don't build up. You create a facade of who God created you to be. And becuase you are empty inside, you keep adding more and more to your life so when you look on paper, it looks good. That's insanity.

But we are not paper, we are spiritual and earthy creature (mind, heart and body) made in God's image, meant to partake in the goodness God freely gives. Instead, we take so much of it for granted; we pick and choose the things we believe will make us good, or will detract from the brokenness we may carry.

Came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity... that's coming to believe that God really does have our best interest at heart and all we have to do is lean in and say yes. We bring all of our being to the table and participate. When we do that fully, the vestages of insanity slough off and sanity, or wholeness, take its place. 

But here's the lovely thing: when we come more fully to the table, when we are completely present we recognize that there is still more room. Room for growth in our lives, room for growth of our love for God, room for growth in our love of each other. There is just so MUCH ROOM! 

Luke14:15-24

When one of those who were reclining at the table with Him heard this, he said to Him, "Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!”

But Jesus said to him, "A man was giving a big dinner, and he invited many; and at the dinner hour he sent his slave to say to those who had been invited, 'Come; for everything is ready now.' But they all alike began to make excuses. The first one said to him, 'I have bought a piece of land and I need to go out and look at it; please consider me excused.' Another one said, 'I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to try them out; please consider me excused.' Another one said, 'I have married a wife, and for that reason I cannot come.' And the slave came back and reported this to his master. Then the head of the household became angry and said to his slave, 'Go out at once into the streets and lanes of the city and bring in here the poor and crippled and blind and lame.' And the slave said, 'Master, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.' And the master said to the slave, 'Go out into the highways and along the hedges, and compel them to come in, so that my house may be filled. For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste of my dinner.'”