Guess who's coming to dinner?

The Institution of the Eucharist by Nicolas Poussin, 1640

 Deacon Tom Writes ©

“Guess who’s coming to dinner?”

Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A

Jesus uses the story of a king who invites his subjects to the wedding banquet for his son and the people reject his invitation outright.  What an insult!  The King’s outrage is understandable. And so is his desire to have a banquet in honor of his son’s wedding.

The chief priests and elders of the Jews knew they were the ones Jesus was talking about and they certainly didn’t like the way the story ended. Jesus says how the King sent his servants out to the highways and byways and brought in others to celebrate this joyful occasion.

It’s interesting that history seems to be repeating itself. Every Sunday we are invited to celebrate a special Eucharistic banquet in honor of God’s Son, Jesus. It is a standing invitation to come and celebrate and to be one with each other and God.  We gather together to give thanks to God for sending His Son into our world and freeing us from sin and death….AND giving us Eternal life….but so many people today are just too busy, too tired, too involved with other interests, or simply not interested….too spent perhaps …to respond to this invitation.

I think it’s by invitation and example that those who come to Mass on a regular basis can help others to see how important it is to center our lives around this most holy banquet. We as Catholics know how important the Eucharist is to our lives, spiritual and temporal, for it is within the context of these sacred mysteries that we are renewed and strengthen for all that life throws at us. If our lives reflect the presence of Christ, others will notice the inner peace and joy in our lives and that may spark some interest for them. If others see that there is a connection between what we receive from the Eucharist and what we are able to give to our jobs, to our families - running the kids around to soccer practice, religious ed. classes and piano lessons, doing the shopping and chores – and to the community, they may want to find the source of that strength and peace for themselves.  As they say… “Imitation is the best form of flattery”.

The banquet is prepared, the table is set, and we all have our standing invitation that also says to bring a friend. Do you have someone in mind that is searching for some inner peace and joy that you would like to bring along?  Invite them and leave the rest to Jesus.

Enjoy the day!

Deacon Tom