Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time

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.'

We are all invited to the banquets of communion and eternal life. Both the sacrament and the afterlife are intrinsically tied to each other. The Holy Feast of the Blessed Sacrament prefigures the Heavenly Banquet of Life in Paradise. God wants all of us to come, whether good or bad, and to celebrate with His Son. All He asks is that we accept the invitation and prepare ourselves to attend. There are many temptations in this world that can keep us from accepting God’s call to join Him. We can become busy in worldly pursuits or enamored with mortal sins. He also requires that we prepare ourselves for the banquets of communion and eternal life by leading holy lives doing good and avoiding evil. He wants us to put our best foot forward in this life and come to the feast clothed in virtue.

How do we accept God’s invitation to the Eucharistic Feast? How are we preparing ourselves for the Heavenly Banquet? What can we do to avoid the temptations of the world that might lead us to declining God’s call or not preparing ourselves for these feasts?

O Lord, we accept your invitation and shall cloth ourselves in holiness.

Amen.