Daily Readings - Sun Oct 11 2020
Isaiah
6On this mountain the LORD Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine- the best of meats and the finest of wines.7On this mountain he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations;8he will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign LORD will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove the disgrace of his people from all the earth. The LORD has spoken.9In that day they will say, "Surely this is our God; we trusted in him, and he saved us. This is the LORD, we trusted in him; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation."10The hand of the LORD will rest on this mountain; but Moab will be trampled under him as straw is trampled down in the manure.
Philippians
12I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.13I can do everything through him who gives me strength.14Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles.19And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.20To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Matthew
1Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying:2"The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son.3He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come.4"Then he sent some more servants and said, 'Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.'5"But they paid no attention and went off--one to his field, another to his business.6The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them.7The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.8"Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come.9Go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.'10So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, both good and bad, and 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.