October 15, 2023
Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A)
The readings for today give us a sample of the heavenly banquet of the Kingdom of God, an image which is frequently encountered throughout scripture. It is a sign of the splendid destiny which awaits those who have served the LORD. It was originally promised to Israel, God’s chosen nation, and eventually extended to all people through the Paschal Mystery – the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.
Isaiah describes it in the First Reading (Isa. 25:6-10a), writing for the Israelites at a time when they are being threatened by surrounding nations. Up until this point he has chided the people for their pride, arrogance, and perversion of justice. He is particularly addressing King Ahaz who has sought to make an alliance with Assyria instead of relying on God for protection against his enemies.
And it is not only Israel who God threatens. Isaiah also speaks God’s reproach to the other nations, like Moab, Egypt, and Ethiopia, for their haughtiness and victimization of smaller nations. God’s judgment will come upon all the earth as Isaiah threatens, “See! The LORD is about to empty the earth and lay it waste.” (Isa. 24:1a).
But God will not abandon God’s chosen people, for with judgment also come God’s mercy and compassion. God promises them salvation under a new Davidic King, a savior who will restore Israel back to the glory of the days of David. The passage we read today is a celebration of praise for the promise of God’s deliverance and the restoration of Mount Zion, Jerusalem. “Behold our God; we looked to him, and he saved us! This is the LORD to whom we looked; let us rejoice and be glad that he has saved us!” (Isa. 25:10).
The victory banquet, which Isaiah describes as a marvelous feast with rich food and the choicest wines, is not an ordinary celebration. It is the promise of a heavenly banquet where God will remove the turmoil and sadness of all peoples. It is said, “He will destroy death forever. The Lord GOD will wipe away the tears from every face.” (Isa. 25:8a).
Jesus speaks of this heavenly banquet in the Gospel for today in the third of a series of three parables which are addressed to the Jewish leaders criticizing Jesus (Mt. 22:1-14). In this story, “The Parable of the Wedding Feast,” Jesus compares the kingdom of heaven to a feast given by a king to his son.
The king sends his servants to invite the guests, but they refuse to come. When the king sends his servants a second time with a tempting description of the feast which awaits, they are treated even more harshly. Some ignore the invitation, but others mistreat and kill the servants. In his anger, the king sends troops to destroy the murderers and the city by burning it to the ground.
These invited guests represent the chief priests and elders at odds with Jesus. Because of their refusal to accept him as the Son of God and savior of Israel, they will be excluded from the banquet feast of the kingdom of heaven and suffer the punishment of separation from God. Much like the unrepentant Israelites at the time of Isaiah, and the oppressive foreign nations, condemnation comes from the new Davidic king.
The king then orders his servants to go into the streets and invite whomever they find to come to the feast. And thus, they fill the hall with guests, both good and bad. However, when the king comes out to greet his guests, he discovers that one of them is not dressed in a proper wedding garment. So, he instructs his servants to bind the man and throw him out into the darkness where there will be pain and torment, “wailing and grinding of teeth.” (Mt. 22:13).
These guests are those who accept Jesus, the new Davidic king, and the salvation that he brings. Whether good or bad, all are invited to accept the invitation. However, only those who accept the grace which is offered and practice the gospel preached by Jesus will be allowed to remain. Those who live improperly, like the poorly dressed wedding guest, will be excluded from the feast. For Jesus tells us, “Many are invited, but few are chosen.” (Mt. 22:14).
There are numerous passages found in the Gospels in which Jesus refers to the heavenly banquet of the last days described by Isaiah, where the righteous will recline at the table of the LORD. Perhaps the most notable is the Last Supper that Jesus celebrates with his disciples before his crucifixion and resurrection. Here he takes the bread, blesses, and breaks it, and gives it to his disciples saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.” (Mt. 26:26b).
Then he takes the cup of wine, offers thanksgiving to God, and gives it to the disciples saying, “Drink from it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed on behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins.” I tell you, from now on I shall not drink this fruit of the vine until the day when I drink it with you in the kingdom of my Father.” (Mt. 26:27-29).
Although he is temporarily leaving his disciples, Jesus assures them that they will be reunited once again at the heavenly banquet in the kingdom of heaven. Moreover, with these words and motions Jesus institutes a tradition offering the sacrifice of his body and blood for the forgiveness of sins for all who partake.
Today when Catholics attend Mass and receive the Eucharist, we are given a share in this prelude to the holy banquet which awaits us in heaven. But we must attend with the proper spiritual preparation – with fasting, prayer, and contrition for our sins. The Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us, “anyone aware of having sinned mortally must not receive Communion without having received absolution in the Sacrament of Penance” (CCC #1415).
The Catechism also reminds us that we must approach the sacrament with the proper attitude and disposition. It states that our “bodily demeanor (gestures, clothing) ought to convey the respect, solemnity, and joy of this moment when Christ becomes our Guest” (CCC #1387).
We must approach with “the proper garments,” the respect and belief that we are receiving the actual precious body and blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And we must take the grace that we receive from the sacrament as a means for helping us live according to and spread the Gospel message. For Jesus tells us, “Many are invited, but few are chosen.” (Mt. 22:14).
