Daily Readings - Sun Oct 11 2020
Isaiah
6On this mountain the LORD of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined.7And he will swallow up on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations.8He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the LORD has spoken.9It will be said on that day, "Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us. This is the LORD; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation."10For the hand of the LORD will rest on this mountain, and Moab shall be trampled down in his place, as straw is trampled down in a dunghill.
Philippians
12I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.13I can do all things through him who strengthens me.14Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble.19And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.20To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.
Matthew
1And again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying,2"The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son,3and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come.4Again he sent other servants, saying, 'Tell those who are invited, See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.'5But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business,6while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them.7The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.8Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy.9Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.'10And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on God’s invitation to us and our response to it. In the first reading from Isaiah, we hear a vision of a glorious feast on God’s mountain, where death is destroyed, and all peoples are gathered to celebrate. This is a powerful image of the ultimate fulfillment of God’s plan, where sorrow and suffering give way to joy and abundance. The prophet reminds us that this is not just a distant hope but a promise already spoken by God, who will save and restore His people. In the second reading, St. Paul writes about his own experience of living in faith, knowing both abundance and hardship, but always trusting in God’s strength. He expresses gratitude for the support of the Philippians and assures them that God will fulfill all their needs in Christ Jesus.
The Gospel parable of the wedding feast ties these themes together. Jesus tells the story of a king who invites guests to his son’s wedding, but they refuse to come, even treating the king’s servants with contempt. In response, the king opens the feast to all, gathering both good and bad from the streets. This parable is a reflection of God’s universal invitation to salvation. Like the king, God is generous and persistent, offering His grace to all people, even when some reject it. Yet, the parable also reminds us that this invitation requires a response. We cannot take God’s offer for granted or ignore it without consequences.
In our daily lives, these readings challenge us to consider how we respond to God’s invitation. Do we, like the first guests in the parable, allow ourselves to be distracted by worldly concerns or hardened by indifference? Or do we, like the servants in the Gospel, go out into the world to share the invitation with others? Isaiah’s vision and Paul’s words encourage us to trust in God’s providence and to live with joy and gratitude, knowing that He provides for us in all circumstances. Let us open our hearts to God’s invitation, embrace the feast He has prepared for us, and share it with others, so that His kingdom may be filled with guests.