THE WORD OF GOD THIS WEEK

28th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Reflection

According to St. Matthew, this is the last of the three parables that Jesus told during the week that he would die.

It concerns the king who gives a lavish banquet and whose invited guests had no interest in attending. They were too involved in their personal lives, even to the point of killing the king’s servants who offered the invitation. 

The king then filled his banquet hall with people from the streets and alleys, “good and bad alike.” The parable ends with a twist- the king finds one guest not dressed properly and has him bound and thrown into the darkness.

The parable scorns not only those who did not care to come to the banquet, but also the one who attended without full consciousness of the celebration.

Banquets are events of celebration and joy, times to relate well with others in unselfish concerns and enjoy the generosity of the host. The prophet Isaiah speaks of the banquet at the end of time with rich food and choice wines, when tears and the veils of mourning, worry, guilt and depression are removed by God- who invites all people to enjoy the feasting.

In this trilogy of parables; the man with two sons, the wicked tenants and finally in this wedding feast — the theme is one and the same — we must have a change of heart, and a change of values in order to embrace the sacred life that God offers us lavishly and freely.

First Reading 

(Isaiah 25: 6-10A)

On this mountain the LORD of hosts
will provide for all peoples
a feast of rich food and choice wines,
juicy, rich food and pure, choice wines.
On this mountain he will destroy
the veil that veils all peoples,
the web that is woven over all nations;
he will destroy death forever.
The Lord GOD will wipe away
the tears from every face;
the reproach of his people he will remove
from the whole earth; for the LORD has spoken.
On that day it will be said:
“Behold our God, to whom we looked to save us!
This is the LORD for whom we looked;
let us rejoice and be glad that he has saved us!”
For the hand of the LORD will rest on this mountain.

Responsorial Psalm 

(Psalm 23)

Second Reading

(Philippians 4: 12-14, 19-20)

Brothers and sisters:
I know how to live in humble circumstances;
I know also how to live with abundance.
In every circumstance and in all things
I have learned the secret of being well fed and of going hungry,
of living in abundance and of being in need. 
I can do all things in him who strengthens me. 
Still, it was kind of you to share in my distress.

My God will fully supply whatever you need,
in accord with his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
To our God and Father, glory forever and ever. Amen. 

Gospel 

(Matthew 22: 1-14)

Jesus again in reply spoke to the chief priests
and elders of the people in parables, saying, 
“The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king
who gave a wedding feast for his son. 
He dispatched his servants
to summon the invited guests to the feast,
but they refused to come.
A second time he sent other servants, saying,
‘Tell those invited: “Behold, I have prepared my banquet,
my calves and fattened cattle are killed,
and everything is ready; come to the feast.”’
Some ignored the invitation and went away,
one to his farm, another to his business. 
The rest laid hold of his servants,
mistreated them, and killed them. 
The king was enraged and sent his troops,
destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. 
Then he said to his servants, ‘The feast is ready,
but those who were invited were not worthy to come. 
Go out, therefore, into the main roads
and invite to the feast whomever you find.’
The servants went out into the streets
and gathered all they found, bad and good alike,
and the hall was filled with guests. 
But when the king came in to meet the guests,
he saw a man there not dressed in a wedding garment. 
The king said to him, ‘My friend, how is it
that you came in here without a wedding garment?’
But he was reduced to silence.
Then the king said to his attendants, ‘Bind his hands and feet,
and cast him into the darkness outside,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.’
Many are invited, but few are chosen.”