Next Sunday’s Readings……..……
October 12, 2008
28th Sunday
In Ordinary Time
Theme: Get Ready For
The Feast!
First
Reading: Isaiah 25:6-10A
The Lord of hosts will provide for all peoples
a feast of rich food and choice wines, juicy,
rich food and pure, choice wines.
Two proofs for Original Sin are set
down at every feasting table.
First: along with all the rich and savory foods, there lurks
fat,
cholesterol, bacteria that could make you very sick. The
second:
no matter how many choice wines there are to drink, some
people cannot drink at all because of a disorder they
inherited.
This approach/avoidance conflict can lead to eating disorders,
binge dieting, and plain old guilt about what we consume and
how much. A third proof of Original Sin is how some people
won’t have anything to eat tonight—or even all week. How do
we approach the idea of feasting under these uncomfortable
circumstances? Prophecy reminds us that the elements of sin
and injustice that deform our world are temporary. One day,
the
tears will be wiped from every face, and maybe the calories
magically removed from every plate. All of us will be free
to
raise a toast at the celestial banquet. What can you do
to
reduce “the sin factor” present at every meal?
Second
Reading: Philippians 4:12-14, 19-20
Brothers and sisters: I know how to live in
humble circumstances; I also know how to
live with abundance.
What is the key to living
gratefully rather than greedily? Saint
Paul says it’s to learn the secret of accepting what you
have, no
matter what you have. When you have a lot, praise God for
abundance! When you have a little, appreciate and savor what
there is. Above all, in times of feasting or fasting, trust
that God
will fully supply what is necessary. Believe that everything
is gift
and give thanks in all circumstances to the Giver. Reflect
on a
time of need and one of abundance. How did each affect
your relationship with God?
Gospel:
Matthew 21:1 -14
Go out, therefore, into the main roads and
invite to the feast whomever you find.
The stories of the kingdom of
heaven in the gospel of Matthew
this year sounded quite bright and cheery in the beginning:
It’s a
treasure! It’s a pearl! It’s fresh bread rising! But lately,
the
parables of the kingdom move in the direction of
devastation.
Last week, the tenants of the vineyard kill the vintner’s
son and
will themselves be killed. This week, those invited to the
wedding not only refuse to come but they kill the messengers
sent to invite them. Among the belated guests to accept the
invitation is a man ill-prepared for a wedding. He is bound
and
cast out into the night. So what happened to the kingdom? Is
it
no longer the “happily ever after” it used to be? Simply
put, the
closer Jesus gets to Jerusalem, the more rejection he faces.
He’s been issuing an invitation for three years that has
been
returned with increasing hostility. When the invitation
comes to
us, do we get dressed to the nines—or send our regrets? How
have you prepared to accept the invitation to the kingdom
feast by your actions today?
Faith
Response: Give to the poor. Fast. Always prepare
completely for the feast when approaching the Eucharistic
Table at daily and Sunday Mass.
Extracted,
with permission granted for use, from Exploring the Sunday Mass
Readings copyright 2008 by Twenty-Third Publications .
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