Oct 15, 2023: 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)

1st Reading – Isaiah 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.

In today’s first reading, the prophet Isaiah is offering a message of hope to his fellow Israelites. Their nation is being besieged from all sides, and their king, Ahaz, wants to put his trust in a political alliance with the Assyrians rather than in God.

This hopeful vision depicts a scene of permanent victory, abundant feasting, and life without end.

On this mountain the LORD of hosts will provide for all peoples

“This mountain” is Zion, a symbol of the heavenly Jerusalem. God is described as one who provides for all peoples.

Note the universality: God’s generosity is not limited to just the tribes of Israel.

a feast of rich food and choice wines, juicy, rich food and pure, choice wines.

In Hebrew culture and throughout scripture, the imagery of a banquet or feast is frequently used to symbolize joy, abundance, and divine blessings, particularly in the context of God’s kingdom or the eschatological future (Psalm 23:5, Isaiah 55:1-2, Matthew 8:11).

The emphasis on rich food and fine wine symbolizes God’s abundance and blessings. This divine fare far surpasses anything that man could imagine; the image suggests a future time of rejoicing and abundance for all people.

(If the banquet metaphor doesn’t deeply resonate with us, it’s perhaps because our country has more plentiful food than anywhere else on earth, and spends less for it as a percentage of income than any other nation.)

On this mountain he will destroy the veil that veils all peoples, the web that is woven over all nations; 

Isaiah prophesies that on this same mountain, God will remove a metaphorical veil (masweh) that has covered all people and nations.

A masweh is a covering, veil, or curtain that is used to conceal or hide something. In this context, the veil symbolizes everything that separates people from God’s truth and causes animosity between nations: ignorance, sin, or spiritual blindness.

Its removal signifies enlightenment and liberation.

he will destroy death forever.

God will permanently conquer death and provide eternal life.

Saint Paul quotes this verse when he rejoices that the resurrection of Christ marks the definitive victory over death (1 Corinthians 15:54-55).

The Lord GOD will wipe away the tears from all faces; 

In a comforting scene of profound tenderness, God promises to restore his people.

Again, note the universality of the vision: God destroys death for all peoples, removes the veil from all nations, wipes the tears from all faces.

The book of Revelation employs similar imagery when it describes the victory won by Christ’s death and resurrection: He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away (Revelation 21:4).

the reproach of his people he will remove from the whole earth; for the LORD has spoken.

This restoration encompasses not only the entire human race but all of natural creation.

The final phrase, “the Lord has spoken,” emphasizes the certainty of these promises.

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!”

The people respond to God’s divine compassion by praising him with a hymn. They acknowledge God as their savior; their trust in him has been vindicated.

Isaiah is encouraging the king and the people to look to God, not a political alliance or anything else, to save them. Those who put their hope of salvation in God will never be disappointed.

For the hand of the LORD will rest on this mountain.

This passage concludes by emphasizing that the divine presence and authority of the Lord will remain on this mountain. “The hand of LORD” represents God’s power; the fact that it remains on the mountain signifies God’s ongoing sovereignty and protection over his people.

This image of salvation is the fulfillment of our deepest longings: the absence of hunger, mourning, death, and shame. Our tears will be replaced with great rejoicing.

2nd Reading – Philippians 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.

Today is the last installment of our four-week study of Philippians. In this passage, part of Paul’s closing statements, he expresses his gratitude for the aid the Philippians have sent and for their concern toward him.

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.

Paul has learned much through the demands of ministry. He has learned how to be content in any situation: humiliation or adulation, poverty or riches.

Note his claim of having learned “the secret” of how to do this.

I can do all things in him who strengthens me.

And here is that “secret”: Paul’s contentment does not depend on external comfort but comes from his faith in Christ.

Because his ministry is inspired and directed by God, he is confident God will provide whatever he needs to fulfill his responsibilities. Through the strength of Christ, he can endure any circumstances that come with his mission.

Still, it was kind of you to share in my distress.

Paul is expressing gratitude to the Philippians for their support and partnership in sharing in his troubles. They’ve been a source of encouragement and help to him during difficult times.

In a verse not included in the lectionary, Paul expresses his gratitude for help the Philippians provided: “I am very well supplied because of what I received from you through Epaphroditus…” (Philippians 4:18b).

This reveals how much trust Paul had in the Philippians. They are the only church he founded that he accepted help from; his general policy was not to accept material aid so that there would be no doubt about the sincerity of his intentions in preaching the Gospel (1 Corinthians 9:18, 2 Corinthians 12:14-18).

By supporting Paul, the Philippian community has participated in his ministry, and he is grateful.

My God will fully supply whatever you need,

Just as God will fully supply all that Paul needs, God will also fully supply all the Philippians need.

in accord with his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.

God’s provision is not meager or just enough; it is abundant. It flows from the boundless treasure of his divine attributes, which include His love, grace, wisdom, and power.

“They were artisans and paupers. They had wives, reared children, and owned houses. They had given these gifts freely from their small means. There was nothing absurd in praying that such people so situated should have sufficiency and plenty. He does not ask God to make them rich or affluent. He asks only that God may `supply their every need’ – so they will not be in want but will have what they need” Saint John Chrysostom (between 398-404 AD), Homilies on the Epistle to the Philippians 16,4,19].

To our God and Father, glory forever and ever. Amen.

Paul concludes this passage with a doxology, giving glory to God, who is their Father, forever and ever. It’s a statement of praise and adoration for the Lord’s faithfulness and provision.

Gospel – Matthew 22:1-14

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.”

For the third Sunday in a row, we hear Jesus call the Jewish leaders to conversion by telling them a parable.

In this parable, commonly called the Parable of the Wedding Feast, Jesus reveals how intensely God the Father desires the salvation of all men.

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.

In the time of Christ, devout Jews had a great sense of anticipation for the coming of the Messiah and the establishment of the Messianic Kingdom. This kingdom was often depicted in the Old Testament as a great banquet, as we saw in our first reading.

The banquet in this parable is a wedding feast, the high point of a week-long celebration. In the ancient Near East, an invitation to such an event was considered a great honor. Refusing such an invitation was a grave breach of courtesy, to the point of being considered a hostile act.

He dispatched his servants to summon the invited guests to the feast,

In the culture of the time, a general invitation to a feast would be extended without specifying an exact time for the event. This expressed the desire for guests to attend but did not provide the precise timing.

As the preparations for the feast were completed, a final invitation was issued to summon the guests.

but they refused to come.

In a moment we will learn that this original set of guests are respectable people who were preoccupied with their own affairs.

The Church Fathers see this first set of invitees as the Jewish people: in salvation history, God addressed himself first to the Israelites and then to all the Gentiles (see Acts 13:46).

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.”’

The king issues a second invitation, emphasizing the readiness and abundance of the banquet.

There is a sense of urgency here; the feast is set to begin.

Some ignored the invitation and went away, one to his farm, another to his business.

The invited guests are indifferent. They are preoccupied with their own pursuits.

Remember, the host is the king! Refusing any invitation was a huge insult; refusing an invitation from the monarch could be interpreted as a refusal to acknowledge his authority or even as a form of rebellion.

The rest laid hold of his servants, mistreated them, and killed them.

Some of the invited guests respond with hostility and violence toward the king’s servants. This behavior is shocking, but it serves to reveal their moral corruption and perversity. They have not only refused the king’s gracious invitation, they have a deeply malicious and hostile attitude toward him.

Symbolically, this violence represents the persecution of God’s prophets throughout Jewish history. They were often rejected and many were killed by the very people they were sent to assist.

The king was enraged and sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city.

The king’s retaliation is swift and thorough. The parable is warning the audience of the severe consequences of rejecting the message of the kingdom and the Messiah.

Many people make an overly literal interpretation of the king in this parable as a direct representation of God. This leads to a distorted image of God that focuses solely on his divine justice and leaves out any consideration of his divine mercy. God is perfectly just, but he is also a God who saves.

How do we discern the correct interpretation of a parable? The first step is to evaluate the purpose of the teaching. This parable is intended to teach the the gravity of one’s response to God’s invitation to the kingdom, and the importance of accepting it with humility and faith.

The parable is not meant to answer the question, “What is God like?” For that, we can look to other parables, such as The Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32), which illustrates God’s boundless mercy and love for repentant sinners., and The Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37), which highlight God’s compassionate concern and care for others.

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.

The people who finally filled the banquet hall were chosen at random. They were street people, not distinguished persons who conducted their business within the city walls.

Symbolically, this represents the expansion of the invitation to Gentiles into God’s kingdom. The kingdom of heaven is open to all, regardless of their background.

But when the king came in to meet the guests he saw a man there not dressed in a wedding garment. He 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.’

Interestingly, while this parable of the wedding feast also appears in Luke’s gospel (Luke 14:15-24), this section about the garment is peculiar to Matthew. Some see it as a distinct parable on its own.

Appropriate wedding attire was expected as a sign of respect and honor for the occasion. In the parable, it signifies the dispositions a person needs in order to enter the kingdom of heaven. Merely being called or invited is not enough; one must respond appropriately.

In other words, even though the invitation to the banquet is given freely, there are still standards for its enjoyment.

“The marriage is the wedding of Christ and his Church, and the garment is the virtue of charity: a person who goes into the feast without a wedding garment is someone who believes in the Church but does not have charity” (Saint Gregory the Great, In Evangelia homiliae, 36).