Reading I: Isaiah 25:6-10a
Reading II: Philippians 4:12-14, 19-20
GOSPEL: Matthew 22:1-10
Join Him at the Banquet
The children of Israel may be the chosen people, but the Lord has invited us all to the banquet. In the parable of the Wedding Banquet, Jesus shows us that those who were originally invited can choose to ignore the invitation. The story illustrates why Jesus did not simply warn the Israelites as the prophets had done. He taught the Jewish people but also reached out to the gentiles, just as the king in the parable invited everyone on the street to attend the banquet.
One thing we need to keep in mind is that the invitation Jesus has given to us is just like many other invitations in one way: We need to respond in a timely manner.
God Will Provide
In Paul’s letter to the Philippians, he talks about the strength that he receives from his faith in the Lord. Paul always felt that he should provide for himself as he went about his work of evangelizing and establishing Christian communities. He trusted that the Lord would provide; and he kept on trusting, through the bad times as well as the good.
But Paul was also thanking the Christian community in Philippi for a gift of money that they had sent to him while he was in prison. It was his way of recognizing the fact that sometimes God will provide for us through the generosity of others. Along that same line, we should realize that sometimes God will provide for others through our generosity. The Church recognizes the importance of this type of stewardship when we talk about donating time, talents, and treasure.
All Are Invited
Saying “God will provide” must never be an excuse for turning our backs on our brothers and sisters. We have been invited to the banquet of the Lord, but we can still choose to ignore the invitation. To accept God’s invitation means we must put our trust in Him through the bad times and the good, do his work here on earth by sharing our time, talents, and treasure, and then make sure we are ready to join him at the banquet.
Life Applications:
How has God provided for you in your life?
How do you give of your time, talent, and treasure?
What have you done to prepare yourself for the banquet?
Original article by Brandon Jubar, 2005 – 2020.
