Posted by The WORD in other words (2023) by Fr Chito Lorenzo, SVD – Japan
28th Sunday in Ordinary Time – A
Town fiestas in the Philippines are events that people look forward to because it is an opportunity for a free meal. I still remember in high school being invited to a classmate’s home and seeing the long table outside their house filled with food and the people sitting next to each other eating with gusto. Also, very memorable for me was the fact that there were people already standing behind, waiting for those who were eating to finish so that they could take their seats and partake of the food.
This brings us to the readings. Isaiah says the Lord will provide for all peoples a feast of rich food and choice wines. St. Paul’s letter to the Philippians states: “My God will fully supply whatever you need.” And finally, in the Gospel parable, the king says: “Tell the invited, I have prepared my banquet…Come to the feast.” Again, the invitation goes out, but what did the people in the story do? Those who were invited did not come!
This is where reality and the parable separate. I think everyone would be honoured just to be invited to a royal feast in real life. The fact that we are still obsessed with royalty today would indicate that nobody in their right minds would turn down such an invitation.
But Jesus was not talking about a feast of food and drink. He was talking about the heavenly feast, an invitation to everlasting life. And those who were first invited did not understand or did not care. So the invitation went out to everyone and not just a select few. The Jews believed that they would be the ones saved. Now Jesus was telling them that everybody has a chance to be saved.
Adam and Eve sinned and were driven away from Paradise. No matter how much they longed to get back, they could not do it on their own. And so God promised a Messiah. Someone who would save humanity from sin and eternal damnation. Jesus did the heavy lifting for us. We did not have to suffer and die on the cross. Jesus took it upon himself to do that for us. Through his death and resurrection, we have gained back eternal life.
The invitation is once again given. God says: “I have prepared a banquet for you. Come to the feast.” I have heard it said that 80% of success is showing up. If that is true, all we need to do is say yes to the invitation and show up. The remaining 20% would entail an effort on our part to be worthy of that banquet.
One comment