When members of the supremacist class, Pharisees, invite Jesus to a meal they are not being politically correct. Being politically correct is a feature of domination in which supremacists correctly honor their own who dominate. Why then do the Pharisees bestow honor upon a dishonorable commoner, the politically incorrect Jesus, by inviting him to share a meal? The invitation is actually meant to dishonor Jesus. Throughout the dinner they “were observing him carefully.” The Pharisees were hoping to catch Jesus in a mistake and dishonor him publicly. Aware of this, Jesus tells a political parable about places of honor at meals. Jesus’ story shocks supremacists and their political correctness because he encourages them to bestow places of honor upon the politically incorrect, people they target for dishonor. Jesus tell them, “when you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind.”
To treat people of great wealth and status with honor is the historical norm. Still now it is politically correct to honor members of the supremacist classes; persons of wealth, men of position, religious leaders, and members of the military. It would be politically incorrect to treat such elites with dishonor. We are taught dishonor is the appropriate treatment for their opposite; those who are poor, women of no position, Mexicans, and peacemakers trying to dissolve the military. To treat people historically dishonored with honor is the nature of Jesus’ Community of God. Together, we violates supremacist’s practice of political correctness. Supremacists do not like it when their system of honor / dishonor is changed. Full communion of the honorable and the dishonorable as one family, is discomforting – to supremacists. When those rendered dishonored assert their humanity, their inherent dignity, challenge is put to the supremacist class. Supremacists rarely accept challenge as an opportunity to know truth. When we are so challenged with likely fight it. In part, this explains Donald Trump and his fans. He is able to dishonor with impunity because he is dishonoring the historically dishonored, the politically incorrect. To the thrill of supremacists, mostly white and male, he is publicly re-establishing their self-centered supremacist system of honor, their practice of political correctness; against the poor, women, Mexicans, people with handicaps, and so forth. Even Trump periodically violates it though; for example, when he dishonors members of the military as he did with John McCain and the Khan Gold Star Family. A few supremacists have attempted to reassert the honor of their colleagues. Ironically, these few supremacists are begrudgingly doing what commoners heroically do across history. The difference is the supremacists are affirming the humanity of a few people of their own usually honored group. We too can shock supremacists like the Trump supporters into expanding their respect for human dignity. We will likely need to expand it to include Trump fans as they continue to dishonor their brothers and sisters.
“Humanity rages like a tempest, but I sigh in silence for I know the storm must pass away while a sigh goes to God. …Humans are divided into different clans and tribes, and belong to countries and towns. But I … belong to no settlement. The universe is my country and the human family is my tribe…. Thou art my brother because you are a human, and we both are sons of one Holy Spirit; we are equal and made of the same earth. …You are my brother and I love you. … (we) are but the fingers of the loving hand of the Supreme Being, extended to all, offering completeness of spirit to all.” (The Poets Voice XV – Kahlil Gibran)
Prayer: Spirit of Oneness, may we always affirm our own human dignity and that of others.
Question: How are my politics more about boundaries than about shared humanity?
August 28, 2016 Gospel Luke 14:1,7-14 Twenty-Second Sunday In Ordinary Time