Is 25:6-10a; Ps 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6; Phil 4:12-14, 19-20; Mt 22:1-14 No Fast Food A beautiful but elusive ideal is that of the family meal. A delicious feast spread on the table inviting us to plunge in, the family gathered around, faces filled with joy and anticipation. Norman Rockwell’s all-American paintings, especially at Thanksgiving and Christmas, depicted warm-hearted scenes like this. But, we all know, in the everyday experience of most families such scenes are rare. Kids at school have different schedules; a parent may have to work late; we have to grab some food on the run. Nevertheless, the longing to be together and to share the joy of life with people we love still has drawing power and the Scriptures use it as a way of imagining life with God. The readings for this Sunday reflect this meal image. Our first reading today is from Isaiah, Chapter 25, one of the most exuberant passages in all the Bible and one frequently read to bring comfort at funerals. The prophet imagines the ultimate future as a great banquet hosted by God, “a feast of juicy, rich food and pure, choice wines.” Those who take part in this banquet will be filled with joy — God will destroy the veil of death that hovers over us. Like a tender mother, “the Lord God will wipe away the tears from every face.” “On that day it will be said: ‘Behold our God, to whom we looked to save us … let us rejoice and be glad that he has saved us!” The response taken from Psalm 23 is also a biblical text most of us know and love, “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.” Here, too, the biblical writer turns to the image of a great banquet to underscore God’s great love: “You spread the table before me in the sight of my foes; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 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.” In a somewhat different key — but still drawing on the experience of a meal — in the second reading Paul assures his beloved community in Philippi that his relentless missionary travels have exposed him to all kinds of challenging circumstances: “I have learned the secret of being well fed and of going hungry, of living in abundance and being in need.” His ability to go through these circumstances is rooted in his faith: “I can do all things in him who strengthens me.” The Gospel parable brings us back to the banquet imagery of Isaiah. Jesus compares the kingdom of heaven to “a king who gave a wedding feast for his son.” When everything is prepared — we learn that veal and steaks are on the menu (i.e., “calves and fattened cattle”) — the king sends out servants with the invitations. But now, as is often the case in Jesus’ parables, things start to go haywire. The invited guests make excuses for why they can’t come and some of them even kill the messengers who bear the invitations. Of course, this king is angry and sends his troops to “destroy those messengers and burn their city.” But the wedding feast will go on and the servants are sent “into the streets” to bring in everyone they could find “bad and good alike” and the banquet gets underway. But, wait, there is another wrinkle. When the king comes in to greet his guests, he meets one who is not properly dressed for a joyful banquet. This poor wretch is thrown out. The banquet of the king, the parable implies, is not a fast food set-up where you just grab your meal. No, for this “banquet” one has to be ready and truly participate. Life with God will be a feast of joy and communion with those we love. Everyone is invited but we are called upon to respond by living a life already thoroughly committed to the Gospel.
About the Author Donald Senior was president emeritus, chancellor and professor of New Testament studies at Catholic Theological Union, 5401 S. Cornell Ave., until his death on Nov. 8, 2022.