AN INVITATION TO THE BANQUET OF THE LORD
First Reading: Isaiah 25: 6-10
Second Reading: Philippians 4: 12-14 and 19-20
Gospel Reading: Matthew 22: 1-14
*First reading is from the book of Prophet Isaiah. Isaiah speaks of a great banquet prepared for the people by the Lord God on the mountain of the Lord. The imagery of the banquet is used to describe the great and wonderful blessings that the Lord God has in store for the people of Israel and for all nations. It pre-figures the many blessings that will be brought about by the messianic kingdom through Jesus Christ.
*Second reading is from the letter of St. Paul to Philippians. Paul describes his own contentment in all situations in life. While thanking the Christian community at Philippi for supporting him in various ways, Paul expresses his total and unquestionable trust in the Lord Jesus who always strengthens him.
The parable of the wedding feast Today's Gospel reading is from St. Matthew. The parable of the wedding feast is narrated in great details. It is a strange story about a great wedding feast given by a King. The King invites all types of people for his son's wedding. Unfortunately all those invited are not very happy to respond to the King's invitation. We meet four different types of people in the parable. 1. Those people who make light of King's invitation and do not go to the banquet due to various pretexts. They have their own matters to be busy with and eventually, they do not respond to the invitation of the King. 2. There are those who treat the King's servants shamefully and even kill some of them. They are the evil forces who do not accept and recognize God's reign. They try to do away with it at all cost. 3. There are those who are called from the street corners and from the by-lanes. These are the ones who represent all nations and are willing to accept God's kingdom. God is willing to accept everyone to His kingdom without looking at his/her antecedents. 4. There are those who refuse to wear the wedding garment at the banquet. These are the people who after accepting the invitation of God, are unwilling to be part of the privilege they received. They express their unrepentant way of life. The wedding feast symbolizes the heavenly banquet prepared by God for everyone. Not surprisingly, we meet all these types of people in the world today. God is extremely generous in inviting all of us to His banquet. Maybe, we have different reasons to make light of it, totally reject it, or to accept it with an open heart. When we accept God's invitation wholeheartedly and unconditionally, we can receive abundant blessings that only the Almighty can dispense with.
"I say to you that many will come from east and west and recline at the table with Abraham, Issac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, but the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." - Matthew 8: 11-12
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