The Third Surprise

Focusing on our own salvation not other people’s

11/05/2024

LK 14:15-24 One of those at table with Jesus said to him, “Blessed is the one who will dine in the Kingdom of God.” He replied to him, “A man gave a great dinner to which he invited many. When the time for the dinner came, he dispatched his servant to say to those invited, ‘Come, everything is now ready.’ But one by one, they all began to excuse themselves. The servant went and reported this to his master. Then the master of the house in a rage commanded his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in here the poor and the crippled, the blind and the lame.’ The servant reported, ‘Sir, your orders have been carried out and still there is room.’ The master then ordered the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedgerows and make people come in that my home may be filled. For, I tell you, none of those men who were invited will taste my dinner.’”

Everything this time of year reminds us that things are coming to an end: celebrations like Halloween and All Saints, the World Series, and of course the colder weather and the colorful fall leaves. So it should not surprise us that the liturgy – the Eucharist – also speaks about the end of the world. For instance, we are in Week 31 of a total of 34 weeks, after which we begin a new liturgical year on the first Sunday of Advent. And so the Scripture readings today also subtly turn out attention to the end times.

One thing we learn today is that things will not turn out as we would expect. I will never forget how Archbishop Fulton Sheen said when we get to heaven, there will be three surprises: “First, there will be people there whom we did not expect to see. Second, there will not be people there whom we did expect to see. And third, the biggest surprise, is that we ourselves might be there. In other words, salvation is not a slam-dunk proposition, “one and done.” St. Paul urged the Philippians, “Work out your salvation in fear and trembling” (Phil 2:12).

I remember sharing Sheen’s three surprises at Mass one Sunday while pastor of St. Joseph in Fayetteville. One man came up to me after Mass, a good friend and devout Baptist, who took umbrage with Sheen’s three surprises in heaven. He said rather upset: “John – he didn’t call me Father – I completely disagree there will be three surprises in heaven. It is very easy to determine who will be saved and who will not. And I have total assurance of my own salvation.” I didn’t argue with him, and simply said, “I guess one day we will find out who is right: you or Sheen. But my money is on Sheen.”

In the gospel today Jesus seems to take the side of Fulton Sheen in describing who will make it to heaven. He tells the parable of a man who invites many to “a great dinner.” But one after the other of the invited guests makes excuses not to come. Finally the host says to this servants, “Go out to the highways and hedgerows and make people one in that my home may be filled. For I tell you none of those men who were invited will taste my dinner.” In other words, Jesus agrees about the first two surprises in heaven: those we expected will not be there, and those we did not expect will be there.

My friends, look around at this church for a moment and ask yourself: which people here will make it to heaven and which persons will not make it? If you ask me, I would say: “Those who come late and leave early from Mass won’t be in heaven!” Just kidding. And maybe you think: surely Fr. John, and priests, nuns, and monks will make it, but who knows about the hoi polio, the rank-and-file, pew potatoes, the ordinary Catholics?

But if you ever read Dante’s Divine Comedy, you will discover that hell is populated with not a few powerful Church prelates, and the heavenly hosts include numerous, humble and holy lay people, like Beatrice, a beautiful young girl. That is, heaven and hell will not be filled with “the usual suspects.”

Folks, today let me encourage you to not worry about the first and second surprises of heaven, who’s in and who’s out. Today, on election day, please refrain from demonizing the presidential candidates and suggesting that one will go to heaven and the other will not. Such judgments are way, way above our paygrade.

Instead, worry about the third surprise in heaven: that you might actually make it. There is no guarantee that you or I will get in. Remember what Jesus warned in Lk 12:48, “To whom much is given, more will be required.” And we Roman Catholics have been given so much: Mary, the saints, the fullness of the Scriptures, the graces of the sacraments, the rich tradition of prayer, the guidance of pope and bishops, inspiring nuns and monks, etc.

In other words, we are the ones who were sent the first class invitations to the Host’s great dinner in the gospel today, and we have no excuses to decline that generous offer. But when we do, that should certainly be a surprise.

Praised be Jesus Christ!