"Time to Feast" - For Sunday Mass October 12, 2008

This week's readings are quite similar to last week's. God speaks of how he gives us all that we need to enter heaven and to do his will. With this in mind, God has high expectations of us and there are terrible consequences if we don't give him the thanksgiving and respect that he deserves. Last week, we focused on prayer as a way to be good stewards of God's grace. This week's commentary will focus on the grace (undeserved help) that God gives us. What exactly does God offer us and why should we care? There is commentary following the 1st reading and the Gospel.

Reading 1
Is 25:6-10a

On this mountain the LORD of hosts
will provide for all peoples
a feast of rich food and choice wines,
juicy, rich food and pure, choice wines.
On this mountain he will destroy
the veil that veils all peoples,
the web that is woven over all nations;
he will destroy death forever.
The Lord GOD will wipe away
the tears from every face;
the reproach of his people he will remove
from the whole earth; for the LORD has spoken.
On that day it will be said:
"Behold our God, to whom we looked to save us!
This is the LORD for whom we looked;
let us rejoice and be glad that he has saved us!"
For the hand of the LORD will rest on this mountain.

Isaiah's Prophecy

We must recall that Isaiah is a prophetic book written hundreds of years before the birth of Christ. The accuracy of the prophecies in this book is amazing. Isaiah's prophecies include the virgin birth of Jesus (7:14), Jesus' death for our sins (53:4-6), and other prophecies as well. This week's reading from Isaiah talks about the time when God will "destroy death forever". What is Isaiah talking about? Death comes from sin1 and we Christians believe that Jesus' crucifixion "liberates us from sin"2 (and thus, death). So the day when God "will destroy death forever" is the day of Jesus' crucifixion-which destroys death. Let's look at what God is offering us in the context of this reading.

Freedom From Blindness, Sadness, and the Veil

In life, we have all experienced sadness. Yet, what brings us the deepest sadness? Is it the death of a loved ones? No, we shall see our loved ones after we die. It seems that the saddest experience of human life is sin. In this dark place that sin creates, we feel guilty. We feel alone. We feel ashamed. We grow scared. Have you ever felt this way after sinning or being the victim of a sin? Sin is sad enough to bring tears. In this reading, we remember that God "will wipe away the tears from every face". God, doesn't want us to wallow in our sadness which we have created through our own sins. He wants to "remove the blame (reproach)" we deserve for our unrepentent sins and the sins others have committed against us. God offers to free us of the darkness and blindness of sin. In John chapter 9, Jesus mentions this "blindness" which comes from sin. And this is the "veil" that Isaiah talks about in this reading. Sin is the darkest veil which prevents us from seeing God! In 2nd Corinthians 3:16, Paul talks about this same "veil" being taken away by Christ. The image of a veil is used in several places in the Old Testament to describe something which blocks people from seeing something else. The "veil" hides the Angel of the Lord3, the Lord himself4, and the glory of God5.

The Savior

So here we are, blinded, by sin (the veil) and drowning in our own tears. The sin in our life is our greatest source of sadness and fear. Then, God comes to Earth and dies for us. Isaiah says, "On that day it will be said:"Behold our God, to whom we looked to save us! This is the LORD for whom we looked; let us rejoice and be glad that he has saved us!" If we are sad because of sin (often the reason for deep sadness), we need to look at a crucifix and see our God who died for us because he wanted to wipe away our tears and remove the veil of blindness ("the web that is woven over all nations") which we wear every time we sin. We are reminded in this reading that God loves us and he wants to help us.

Experiencing God's compassion and love for us is so beautiful and powerful that we must give thanks to God and remember what he has done and continues to do for us. With God's love and compassion in mind, we remember that we can "do all things in him who strengthens me" as Paul says in the second reading.

Reading II
Phil 4:12-14, 19-20

Brothers and sisters:
I know how to live in humble circumstances;
I know also how to live with abundance.
In every circumstance and in all things
I have learned the secret of being well fed and of going hungry,
of living in abundance and of being in need.
I can do all things in him who strengthens me.
Still, it was kind of you to share in my distress.

My God will fully supply whatever you need,
in accord with his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
To our God and Father, glory forever and ever. Amen.

Gospel
Mt 22:1-14 or 22:1-10

Jesus again in reply spoke to the chief priests and elders of the people
in parables, saying,
"The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king
who gave a wedding feast for his son.
He dispatched his servants
to summon the invited guests to the feast,
but they refused to come.
A second time he sent other servants, saying,
‘Tell those invited: “Behold, I have prepared my banquet,
my calves and fattened cattle are killed,
and everything is ready; come to the feast.”’
Some ignored the invitation and went away,
one to his farm, another to his business.
The rest laid hold of his servants,
mistreated them, and killed them.
The king was enraged and sent his troops,
destroyed those murderers, and burned their city.
Then he said to his servants, 'The feast is ready,
but those who were invited were not worthy to come.
Go out, therefore, into the main roads
and invite to the feast whomever you find.’
The servants went out into the streets
and gathered all they found, bad and good alike,
and the hall was filled with guests.
But when the king came in to meet the guests,
he saw a man there not dressed in a wedding garment.
The king said to him, 'My friend, how is it
that you came in here without a wedding garment?'
But he was reduced to silence.
Then the king said to his attendants, 'Bind his hands and feet,
and cast him into the darkness outside,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.’
Many are invited, but few are chosen."

Here Jesus talks about a feast "the king" gave for "his son". This feast for the son fits with the crucifixion reference in the first reading. There are messengers who invite people to this great feast. Jesus is talking about how God sends messengers calling us to God. We hear and see the messengers of God through our parents, our children, priests, and even non-Christians who love us. In these people, we see and hear God calling us to him. These are some of "the messengers" that Jesus was referring to in this reading.

Too Busy for God

One of the people invited in this reading, refuses to go because of his business. The root word of "business" is "busy". Is this not our most popular excuse today when God calls us to love and serve him in our everyday lives? What are we so busy doing? We are busy watching TV. We are busy working. We are busy talking on our cell phones. Sooner or later, the end of our lives will approach. We will want to enter "the feast"- heaven. Yet, after we die, Jesus might say to us "how is it that you came here unprepared (not dressed in a wedding garment)?"

I pray that our excuse is not "I was busy" because that's just not going to cut it as a good excuse. This week's readings tell us that God knows what pitiful condition we are in. He knows our sadness. He knows our lonliness. He knows our blindness caused by lives of sin. There is only one way to take all that sin and sadness away. It took the death our beloved, beautiful, innocent Jesus. We are talking about the beautiful infant Jesus born in a manger with the purpose of growing to DIE on the cross. God is not "too busy" for us. How can we be "too busy" for him?


God loves us!

1- Romans 10:12
2- CCC 654
3- Numbers 22:31
4- Leviticus 16:2
5- Exodus 34:33-35


Responsorial Psalm
Ps 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6

R. (6cd) I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
R. I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.
He guides me in right paths
for his name's sake.
Even though I walk in the dark valley
I fear no evil; for you are at my side
with your rod and your staff
that give me courage.
R. I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.
You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
R. I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.
Only goodness and kindness follow me
all the days of my life;
and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
for years to come.
R. I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.