Daily Readings - Sun Oct 11 2020
Isaiah
6And in this mountain shall the LORD of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined.7And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all nations.8He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it.9And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.10For in this mountain shall the hand of the LORD rest, and Moab shall be trodden down under him, even as straw is trodden down for the dunghill.
Philippians
12I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.13I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.14Notwithstanding ye have well done, that ye did communicate with my affliction.19But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.20Now unto God and our Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Matthew
1And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said,2The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son,3And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.4Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage.5But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise:6And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them.7But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.8Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.9Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.10So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished 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.