20231107 MAKING LIGHT OF GOD’S INVITATION TO HIS BANQUET
07 November 2023, Tuesday, 31st Week in Ordinary Time
First reading | Romans 12:5-16 © |
Use the gifts you have been given
All of us, in union with Christ, form one body, and as parts of it we belong to each other. Our gifts differ according to the grace given us. If your gift is prophecy, then use it as your faith suggests; if administration, then use it for administration; if teaching, then use it for teaching. Let the preachers deliver sermons, the almsgivers give freely, the officials be diligent, and those who do works of mercy do them cheerfully.
Do not let your love be a pretence, but sincerely prefer good to evil. Love each other as much as brothers should, and have a profound respect for each other. Work for the Lord with untiring effort and with great earnestness of spirit. If you have hope, this will make you cheerful. Do not give up if trials come; and keep on praying. If any of the saints are in need you must share with them; and you should make hospitality your special care.
Bless those who persecute you: never curse them, bless them. Rejoice with those who rejoice and be sad with those in sorrow. Treat everyone with equal kindness; never be condescending but make real friends with the poor. Do not allow yourself to become self-satisfied.
Responsorial Psalm | Psalm 130(131) © |
Keep my soul in peace before you, O Lord.
O Lord, my heart is not proud
nor haughty my eyes.
I have not gone after things too great
nor marvels beyond me.
Keep my soul in peace before you, O Lord.
Truly I have set my soul
in silence and peace.
A weaned child on its mother’s breast,
even so is my soul.
Keep my soul in peace before you, O Lord.
O Israel, hope in the Lord
both now and forever.
Keep my soul in peace before you, O Lord.
Gospel Acclamation | cf.Ep1:17,18 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
May the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ
enlighten the eyes of our mind,
so that we can see what hope his call holds for us.
Alleluia!
Or: | Mt11:28 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened,
and I will give you rest, says the Lord.
Alleluia!
Gospel | Luke 14:15-24 © |
'Not one of those who were invited shall have a taste of my banquet'
One of those gathered round the table said to Jesus, ‘Happy the man who will be at the feast in the kingdom of God!’ But he said to him, ‘There was a man who gave a great banquet, and he invited a large number of people. When the time for the banquet came, he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, “Come along: everything is ready now.” But all alike started to make excuses. The first said, “I have bought a piece of land and must go and see it. Please accept my apologies.” Another said, “I have bought five yoke of oxen and am on my way to try them out. Please accept my apologies.” Yet another said, “I have just got married and so am unable to come.”
‘The servant returned and reported this to his master. Then the householder, in a rage, said to his servant, “Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in here the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.” “Sir” said the servant “your orders have been carried out and there is still room.” Then the master said to his servant, “Go to the open roads and the hedgerows and force people to come in to make sure my house is full; because, I tell you, not one of those who were invited shall have a taste of my banquet.”’
MAKING LIGHT OF GOD’S INVITATION TO HIS BANQUET
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [Rom 12:5-16; Ps 131:1-3; Lk 14:15-24]
God’s banquet is how the scripture portrays heaven to be like. Heaven is described in terms of a banquet where there is fellowship and food in plenty. This explains why during a meal, “one of those gathered round the table said to Jesus, ‘Happy the man who will be at the feast in the kingdom of God!'” Every earthly meal is celebrated in anticipation of the heavenly banquet. Indeed, whenever there is true friendship and love, when there is contentment and fulfilment, there is heaven. A banquet where many are present with the king is therefore an appropriate image of heaven because we are celebrating the fellowship of all the saints of God who share in the joy of God, our King.
Unfortunately, not many are interested in heaven today! People are more concerned about the present than the future. Today, people do not believe in an after-life or a heaven beyond this life. They want to create their own heaven here and now by enjoying all the pleasures and joys of life. Heaven is reduced to enjoying life on this earth. This explains why not many people, even faith-believers, are living for tomorrow or for the next life. Even faith-believers are not concerned about their religion making sense of life for them here and now, helping them to cope with their struggles and pain in life. Today, people want to live for the present and not for the future because they have lost hope for the future. Afraid to miss out on the goodness of this life, they live as if they have only one life to lead, which is this life.
Accordingly, Jesus told His listeners the Parable of the Great Banquet where those invited were indifferent to the invitation. ‘When the time for the banquet came, he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, “Come along: everything is ready now.” But all alike started to make excuses. The first said. “I have bought a piece of land and must go and see it. Please accept my apologies.” Another said, “I have bought five yoke of oxen and am on my way to try them out. Please accept my apologies.” Yet another said, “I have just got married and so am unable to come.”‘ Indeed, these people seem to have valid reasons. They have responsibilities to fulfill They all seem to be urgent as well. Such engagements cannot wait. And this is true for us all in this rat race. We are all preoccupied with so many engagements, tasks and things to do that we do not have time for God. Everything else takes priority over our relationship with God, be it business or personal matters or personal friendships. God is always the last among all things. The only heaven people want to enjoy is not a heaven after death but here and now because most do not believe that there is a heaven beyond this life.
But in truth, just like them, there is no excuse. When God invites us to His banquet, just like the man who gave the great banquet, the invite would have been sent out long before the actual date. They would have given their answers long before. But to turn down the invite after accepting it would be an insult to the host. So, we can understand why the host was angry and disappointed. God too has invited us to His banquet. This invitation has been sent out to us through His prophets since the days of old. And we have received it by virtue of our baptism. But those of us who have been baptized take our privilege lightly. We do not live out our baptismal relationship with the Lord and with His Church. We do not make time with our Lord or with His body, the Church. We do not live out our commitment to be Christ’s disciples. We do not grow in our faith, learn about our doctrines and read the scriptures. We do not take the trouble to learn about our Catholic tradition, practices and way of life. Hence, many of us do not value our faith, our traditions and noble customs.
These commitments are delineated in today’s first reading. St Paul reminds us that being a Christian is not just being committed to Christ but to His body, the Church. “All of us, in union with Christ, form one body, and as parts of it we belong to each other.” We are all called to be in communion with each other if we were to be in union with Christ. Specifically, it means that each one is responsible to the rest of the Church. No one is an island. All gifts given to the individual are meant for the common good of all. We must therefore use them not for ourselves but for the greater good of all. But with the understanding that we use them for the glory of God in gratitude for the gifts we have received. St Paul wrote, “Our gifts differ according to the grace given us. If your gift is prophecy, then use it as your faith suggests; if administration, then use it for administration; if teaching, then use it for teaching. Let the preachers deliver sermons, the almsgivers give freely, the officials be diligent, and those who do works of mercy do them cheerfully.”
Indeed, our love for God must be translated into genuine love for our brothers and sisters. We must work for the good of all. St Paul says, “Do not let your love be a pretence, but sincerely prefer good to evil. Love each other as much as brothers should, and have a profound respect for each other. Work for the Lord with untiring effort and with great earnestness of spirit. If you have hope, this will make you cheerful. Do not give up if trials come; and keep on praying. If any of the saints are in need you must share with them; and you should make hospitality your special care.” The emphasis is on working for the Lord by caring for our brothers and sisters. Christians must seek to overcome evil with good and persevere in love.
Christian love is a transcendent love. It transcends hatred for our enemies. Christian love overcomes hatred of our enemy. St Paul wrote, “Bless those who persecute you: never curse them, bless them.” By blessing our enemies, we neutralize their anger and curses. Instead of retaliation, the Christian way is one of forgiveness and to return kindness with evil.” Christian love also entails empathy with those who are rejoicing or in sorrow. “Rejoice with those who rejoice and be sad with those in sorrow.” Being one with our brothers and sisters is what compassion is all about. Finally, a Christian does not distinguish a person by social class because all are equally loved by God, young or old, rich or poor. “Treat everyone with equal kindness; never be condescending but make real friends with the poor.”
Indeed, this is the way to find peace within ourselves as the responsorial psalm teaches us. “O Lord, my heart is not proud nor haughty my eyes. I have not gone after things too great nor marvels beyond me. Truly I have set my soul in silence and peace. A weaned child on its mother’s breast, even so is my soul. O Israel, hope in the Lord both now and forever.” When we are one with the Lord in mind and heart, and when we are loving towards our brothers and sisters, we find peace in our heart. Only those who are humble and not haughty can truly love and care for others and remain humble and meek before God. Such a Christian leans on the love of the Lord and in His Word.
Truly, we must have the heart of God for all, beyond our fellow Christians. The parable tells us that when the first invitation was rejected, the man said to his servants. “Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in here the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.” “Sir,” said the servant “your orders have been carried out and there is still room.” Then the master said to his servant, “Go to the open roads and the hedgerows and force people to come in to make sure my house is full; because, I tell you, not one of those who were invited shall have a taste of my banquet.”‘ God wants His banquet to be full. He wants everyone to share in His joy and love. We who have been fortunate to share in His love should therefore not be ungrateful by rejecting that invitation. Instead, having been so privileged to be invited by Him, we should now in turn go out to the streets and invite those who do not know Him. We should reach out to them so that they too can join in the heavenly banquet. Indeed, God’s invitation to His banquet of love and joy is given to all who respond to His call. No one is excluded except those who choose to be excluded. The sign that we have been responsible to our call is when we are ready to bring others to Him as well.
Written by His Eminence, Cardinal William SC Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved.
No comments:
Post a Comment