The King’s Banquet
The first reading and the Gospel somewhat deal with the same theme: a banquet. The first reading tells us that one day God will prepare an extraordinary banquet. In ancient days, only kings used to arrange huge banquets to celebrate their victories, weddings or some other feasts connected to royalty. These celebrations were lavish. But Isaiah speaks about God’s banquet, which will be the biggest and the best of all.
Banquets in scripture symbolize joy and happiness in God’s kingdom.
The Gospel tries to prove that what was promised in the Old Testament is fulfilled in the New Testament. The celebration of the great feast is already begun through the coming of the promised Messiah. Many could object: if the banquet table for God’s kingdom is already set, then why do we still not experience the peace and happiness it promises? The reality around us looks scary; there is economic insecurity, moral degradation, broken family systems, monotonous religious living, threats of wars, natural disasters, pandemics and many more things that threaten not only our normal living but also our very existence.
The feast of God’s kingdom is begun; the invitations are being sent to all – to every tribe, tongue, and nation. But it waits for everybody to come in and secure their place. It also requires everyone’s cooperation to realize its purpose, on which depends its success. No one can accept the invitation and enter the feast unprepared.
In the second reading, the community of Philippi renders us a good example. The sincerity of their life and true love, expressed through sacrifice, was the sign that the Spirit of God was working among them.
Where there is authentic love, there is God and His Kingdom.
–Fr. Ranjan D’Sa OCD