‘I have my banquet all prepared. Come to the wedding!’
As the end of the liturgical year gradually approaches, the readings begin to focus on the kingdom of heaven and the era beyond the end of time. This week, both the First Reading and the Gospel invite us to think of sharing in the great feast that God prepares for us.
Isaiah explains how the Lord is preparing a banquet to which everyone will be welcome. There will be no more suffering or death. (First Reading)
In contrast, the Gospel parable speaks of guests who are invited by the king to a great wedding feast, but fail to attend. As a result, the king gets his servants to ask everyone they can find, good and bad alike, to replace those who have made excuses.
The Psalm reminds us that the Lord will see to all our needs so that we shall not want.
In the Second Reading, Paul writes to the Christian community in Philippi. Despite imprisonment and a probable death sentence, Paul has achieved a calm and accepting attitude to life through total trust and faith in the Lord.
This week, we might want to reflect on the way we respond when the Lord invites us to join him, and how we treat his messengers. In turn, perhaps we might feel called to invite those who seem to have been left by the wayside … good or bad.
